Our  Canaries 
167 
Wood  mould  for  shaping  the 
nests. 
If  double  breeding  cages  are  in  use,  the  cock  and  hen  should  be  placed  separately 
in  each  compartment,  with  the  wire  slide  between.  In  other  cases  the  cock 
should  be  placed  in  a  small  wire  cage,  and  hung  on  the  front  of  the  breeding 
cage.  In  either  position  the  birds  quickly  strike  up  an  acquaintance,  and 
arrive  at  a  mutual  understanding  that  the  yoke  of  Hym.en  is,  after  all,  preferable 
to  single  bliss.  When  this  stage  is  reached  the 
birds  will  be  found  spendmg  a  good  portion  of 
their  time  close  to  each  other,  maybe  whisper- 
ing "  sweet  nothings  "  in  each  other's  ears, 
twittering  to  or  pecking  at  each  other  through  the 
wires ;  and  the  cock  when  not  engaged  in  singing 
violently  at  the  hen  as  he  meanwhile  totters  and 
dances  about  the  perches,  constantly  calls  the  hen 
to  the  wires  and  gives  her  choice  morsels  of  food  which  she  readily  accepts,  and, 
like  the  immortal  little  Oliver,  asks  for  more.  When  this  is  the  condition 
of  things,  the  birds  should  be  put  together  in  the  same  cage,  and  supplied 
with  nest-box  and  cuttle-fish,  when,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  all  will  go 
as  merrily  as  the  proverbial  marriage  bell,  and  many  useless  bickerings  and 
squabbles,  which  would  often  occur  otherwise,  will  be  avoided. 
NEST  BUILDING. 
In  a  few  days,  after  the  birds  are  put  together,  the  hen  may  be  seen  hunting 
curiously  about  the  cage,  whilst  the  cock  probably  uses  all  his  wiles 
to  tempt  her  to  enter  the  nest-pan.  At  first 
she  may  ignore  it,  but  never  mind.  Later 
on  the  excitement  grows  upon  her,  and  she 
may  be  seen  catching  up  the  feathers  of  her 
breast  or  shoulders  and  awkwardly  endeavour- 
ing to  carry  them  about  and  place  them  in 
the  nest-pan  which  she  has  taken  to. 
Now  is  the  time  to  give  her  a  supply 
of  nesting  material,  which  should  have  been 
withheld  until  this  time.  Examine  it  all 
carefully  and  see  that  it  contains  no  long 
horse-hair,  hard  stubby  thorns,  or  dust,  any  of 
which  may  prove  injurious  to  health,  or  give 
rise  to  accidents.  Some  hens  are  shockingly 
bad  nest-builders,  but  do  not  interfere  with  them  at  all  until  the  third  egg  has 
been  laid.  To  do  so  before  is  worse  than  useless.  From  this  stage  leave 
the  birds  as  much  alone  as  possible.  Do  not  try  to  make  them  to  do  things 
according  to  your  ideas.  Avoid  all  interference  and  keep  the  birdroom  as 
quiet  as  possible  ;  let  th  ere  be  no  noise  while  going  about  the  daily  tasks. 
Shaping  the  nest  by  means  of  a 
fowl's  egg  uised  hot. 
