Our  Canaries 
II 
CHAPTER  11. 
CAGES,    APPLIANCES,    AND    INDOOR  MANAGEMENT. 
TN  commencing  the  hobby  it  naturally  follows  that  the  question  of  suitable  cages 
or  aviaries  of  a  type  which  are  best  adapted  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
particular  branch  into  which  one  is  launching  must  be  settled  as  a  first  step 
towards  success.  It  is,  too,  a  question  of  some  moment,  as  the  infinite  variety 
of  cages  which  will  meet  the  gaze  of  the  prospective  buyer  will  doubtless  prove 
somewhat  bewildering  to  the  novice,  whose  practical  experience  has  probably 
hitherto  been  limited  to  a  tiny  contrivance  of  wood  and  wire;  or,  on  the  other 
hand,  a  rather  larger  concern  composed  of  an  elaborate  arrangement  of  wire, 
glass,  and  tin,  designed  to  please  the  eye  and  appeal  to  the  aesthetic  taste  rather 
than  ensure  the  comfort  and  well-being  of  the  feathered  occupant  which  is  destined 
to  pass  its  life  within  its  narrow  limits,  which  are,  in  their  respective  spheres, 
accorded  the  courtesy  titles  of  cages — singing  cages,  and  parlour  cages. 
NECESSITY    OF  SPACE. 
Let  it  not  be  supposed  from  the  remark  that  we  set  out  to  condemn  any 
type  or  style  of  cage  which  gives  even  a  tolerable  measure  of  comfort  to  the  bird, 
and  is  not,  when  kept  under  the  conditions  for  which  it  is  most  suited,  positively 
harmful  to  the  occupant's  health  or  welfare.  As  a  matter  of  fact  provided  only 
that  a  sufficient  amount  of  inside  space  is  allowed  to  permit  of  a  certain  freedom 
of  movement  on  the  part  of  the  bird  which  will  enable  it  to  take  some  degree 
of  exercise,  instead  of  the  spirit-cramping  contrivances  which  give  barely  enough 
space  inside  for  the  bird  to  turn  itself  round,  without  causing  friction  between 
some  part  of  its  prison  and  its  wings  or  tail,  there  will  be  found  but  few  cages 
which  in  certain  conditions  and  with  strict  attention  to  cleanliness  and  hygiene 
may  not  be  made  tolerable  and  useful  servants.  Indeed,  among  all  the  great 
variety  of  cages  and  cage  aviaries,  if  we  may  use  such  a  term  as  a  convenient 
description  of  the  so-called  aviaries  which  occupy  a  spare  corner  indoors,  and 
which  are  in  reality  neither  more  or  less  than  large  roomy  cages  ;  among  all  the 
array,  we  repeat,  which  afford  an  almost  unlimited  choice,  and  run  through  all 
degrees  of  good,  bad,  and  undesirable  qualities,  practically  all  of  them,  having 
the  necessary  qualification  of  inside  space,  may  be  rendered  quite  tolerable  in 
special  circumstances. 
The  greatest  amount  of  harm  may  be  done  by  ignoring  the  original  purpose 
for  which  any  particular  kind  of  cage  is  obviously  intended,  and  utilising  it  in 
circumstances  it  was  never  meant  to  occupy.  A  parlour  singing  cage  of  an 
approved  pattern,  as  an  example,  which  in  most  cases  will  be  constructed  of  wire 
alone  in  the  portion  above  the  immediate  base,  may  serve  its  purpose  passing 
well  in  a  room  which  is  of  a  fairly  equable  temperature  at  all  times  and  is  quite 
