96 
Our  Canaries 
proper  direction  until  the  feathers  are  quite  dry,  finishing  off  with  a  few 
strokes  of  a  silk  handkerchief. 
TO  PREPARE  A  CREST, 
Heavily  feathered  varieties  like  the  Crests  and  Lancashires  should  always 
be  allowed  a  day  or  two  longer  to  recover  from  washing  than  the  short,  close- 
feathered  breeds.  An  interval  of  five  days  between  washing  and  showing  is 
none  too  much.  This  gives  the  web  of  the  feather  a  chance  to  be  well  plumed, 
and  gives   the   owner  time  to  discover   and   correct  many  little   faults  in 
"AN   OTHEBWISE   GOOD   CREST   MAY   SHOW   A   DECIDED  TENDENCY 
TO   SPLIT   AT   THE  SIDE." 
plumage  by  judicious  grooming.  A  Crested  bird,  especially,  may  have  its 
chances  very  considerably  improved  sometimes  by  perfectly  legitimate  and 
skilful  grooming.  An  otherwise  good  and  large  Crest  may  show  a  decided 
tendency  to  split  at  the  side  and  this  is  frequently  caused  by  a  single  feather, 
or  maybe  two  or  three,  having  a  tendency  to  grow  to  one  side,  and  with 
sufficient  substance  to  hold  the  under  or  over-lying  feathers  in  the  same 
wrong  direction  ;  or  it  may  be  simply  due  to  a  feather  or  two  having 
been  given  a  twist  in  the  wrong  direction  in  washing  the  Crest.  But 
whatever  the  cause,  the  offending  feathers  should  be  moistened  with  warm 
