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Our  Canaries 
length  of  time  their  toilet  has,  in  almost  every  case,  been  set  right,  and  they 
appear  in  smooth  feather.  In  fact,  those  fanciers  who  live  away  from  the 
smoke  and  dirt  of  a  city  I  should  advise  to  wash  their  birds  a  full  week 
previous  to  the  show  day.  Many  make  a  great  mistake  in  tubbing  the  birds 
too  late  and  not  giving  them  ample  time  to  plume  themselves  and  set  their 
house  in  order  before  being  judged.  After  having  washed  your  birds,  it  is 
necessary  to  spray  them  each  morning  previous  to  the  show  day.  This 
procedure  tightens  and  conditions  the  birds.  Again,  always  see  that  your 
cages  are  neatly  enamelled,  perches  clean,  cage  labels  tied  securely  on  and 
easily  seen  so  as  not  to  cause  either  the  judge  or  stewards  of  the  show 
unnecessary  handling  of  your  specimens  to  find  same. 
DESPATCHING  TO  THE  SHOW. 
"  Having  entered  your  birds  for  a  show,  be  sure  and  get  them  off  in  good 
time,  the  night  previous  to  the  function  taking  place,  if  at  all  possible.  I 
will  give  a  few  reasons  why  I  advise  you  to  do  this.  Birds  having  done 
maybe,  a  long,  wearisome  journey  on  the  railway,  and  having  been  handled 
in  transit,  not  too  gently  perhaps,  become  excited  and  unsettled  somewhat. 
Should  this  be  the  case,  and  your  birds  arrive  at  a  show  just  previous  to 
judging  time,  they  are  too  nervous  to  do  themselves  justice,  whereas  when 
they  have  been  staged  the  night  previous  to  the  show  day  they  have  settled 
themselves  and  appear  in  far  better  trim  when  the  honours  are  given  out. 
Again,  I  have  seen  birds  which  have  arrived  just  on  the  point  of  judging 
time  appear  thick  and  down  and  therefore  not  capable  of  going  the  pace 
necessary  to  place  them  anywhere  near  the  top  of  the  ladder.  If  such  birds 
had  been  in  the  show-room  the  night  previous,  such  would  not  have  been  the 
case ;  they  would  have  pulled  themselves  together  before  the  placing  of 
the  cards. 
THE  ORDER  OF  THE  BATH. 
"  Again,  in  many  cases,  when  birds  arrive  at  a  show  and  are  taken  out  of 
their  travelling  cases  and  placed  on  the  bench  with  water  provided  them,  in  they 
go  for  a  bath  with  all  their  might  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  are  like 
drowned  rats  almost.  When  this  happens,  they  cannot  possibly  get  dry  and 
smooth  before  judging  is  over.  Again,  when  birds  are  sent  on  their  journey 
one  never  knows  what  connections  and  changes  in  transit  takes  place  which 
means  time,  and  those  forwarded  same  morning  as  a  show  often  have  placed  on 
their  cages  labels  to  this  effect,  *  too  late  for  competition,'  and  only  their  owners 
really  to  blame.    Therefore  get  your  specimens  off  in  good  time." 
