Our  Canaries 
83 
"  Be  careful  to  exhibit  the  bird  in  a  clean,  smart  cage.  If  a  cage  has 
to  be  bought  for  the  purpose,  purchase  it  a  month  before  the  date  of  the 
show,  so  that  the  paint  and  enamel  may  set  hard  before  use.  Nothing 
annoys  a  judge  more  than  when  handling  a  cage  to  find  the  paint  still 
"tacky"  and  his  fingers  soiled.  When  sending  birds  to  a  show  always  pack 
them  in  cases  or  hampers.  Never  send  them  wrapped  in  paper.  Birds 
wrapped  in  paper  more  often  than  not  arrive  with  the  paper  torn,  and  exposed 
to  the  chilly  weather,  so  often  prevalent  during  the  show  season.  Exhibits 
packed  in  cases  or  hampers  are  nearly  always  packed  first  for  the  return 
journey.  It  is  when  all  such  packages  have  been  dispatched  that  a  few  birds 
are  found  left  on  the  show  benches.  Enquiries  elicit  the  fact  that  there  are 
no  cases  for  them  and  they  have  to  be  wrapped  in  paper  and  sent  off  perhaps 
hours  later  than  they  would  have 
been  if  suitable  cases  had  been  pro- 
vided. Water  tins  should  be  sent 
with  exhibits,  and  the  name  and 
address  of  the  exhibitor  clearly 
marked  on  the  inside  of  the  lid  of 
the  package.  '  Live  Birds '  should 
be  painted  on  the  sides  of  the  cases 
in  bold  letters. 
"  The  bird  should  be  washed  five 
or  six  days  before  the  show  and 
sprayed  lightly  with  distilled  water 
each  day  up  to  the  day  before  sending 
to  the  show." 
PACKING  CASES  CONSIDERED. 
These  necessary  receptacles  for  conveyance  to  and  fro  on  more  or  less 
lengthy  journeys  must  have  careful  consideration.  When  the  owner  is  able  to 
accompany  the  birds  and  see  them  properly  fed  and  watered  after  staging  he 
has  a  vast  advantage  over  his  less  fortunate  brethren,  not  only  in  seeing  that 
the  exhibits  are  properly  attended  to  upon  arrival  at  the  show,  but  also  in 
supervising  their  safe  conduct  on  the  journey.  But  the  fortunate  ones  are 
comparatively  few ;  hence  the  need  for  good  sound  packages  for  the  convey- 
ance of  exhibits  in  safety.  These  should  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  withstand 
a  large  amount  of  rough  usage  without  injury,  combined,  as  far  as  possible, 
with  lightness  in  weight.  Albeit,  in  this  matter,  if  any  error  is  made,  it  is 
always  best  to  err  on  the  side  of  thoroughness.  When  an  accident  happens 
to  valuable  birds  packed  in  the  flimsy,  fragile  and  makeshift  type  of  case  the 
owner  has  far  less  real  cause  for  grievance,  and  his  complaint  will  carry  less 
