Our  Cananes 
igi 
THE  YOUNGSTERS'  MENU. 
An  unlimited  supply  of  good  sound  Canary  seed  should  be  provided  as 
the  staple  diet  as  soon  as  the  birds  are  separated.  A  limited  supply  of  dry 
summer  rape  should  be  given  (separately)  each  day,  and  for  a  weei^:  or  so  a 
small  quantity  of  egg  food,  prepared  as  described  above,  should  also  form  a 
daily  item.  For  the  first  day  or  two  a  dessert-spoonful  of  egg  food  may  be 
given  to  each  brood  of  four  or  five  birds  each  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon 
a  heaped  teaspoonful  of  rape  should  be  given.  After  the  first  few  days  the 
quantity  of  egg  food  may  be  gradually  diminished,  and  a  little  extra  rape 
added,  and  three  or  four  times  a  week  a  small  teaspoonful  of  cracked  hemp 
given  in  its  place.  After  about  a  week  or  ten  days  the  supply  of  egg  food 
should  be  dropped  for  a  day  now  and  again,  and  by  the  time  they  have 
been  separated  a  fortnight  the  supply  of  egg  food  may  be  reduced  to  three 
times  a  week.  Later  on  this  may  be  further  reduced  to  twice  a  week,  and 
its  place  occasionally  taken  by  a  supply  of  stale  bread  scalded  with  milk, 
pressed  nearly  dry,  and  sprinkled  with  a  little  soft  sugar. 
No  green  food  should  be  given  for  a  few  days  after  removal,  and  afterwards 
a  ripe  plantain  stalk  should  be  given  for  a  few  weeks.  Seedy  chickweed 
may  be  given  later,  and  if  any  signs  of  constipation  occur,  a  flowery  head  of 
tender  groundsel  will  correct  it.  But  at  all  times  give  only  wholesome  green 
stuff,  and  never  a  bit  that  is  stale,  or  sodden  with  water,  either  from  rain  or 
through  rinsing,  after  being  gathered. 
Cleanliness  in  everything  is  the  keynote  to  prevent  the  great  majority  of 
young  bird  troubles — clean  cages,  clean  sand,  clean  food,  clean  water,  clean 
vessels  of  all  kinds,  and  much  trouble  is  avoided. 
