196 
Our  Canaries 
and  gradually  spreading  upwards  to  the  head,  which  is  the  last  portion  to 
moult.  In  the  adults  the  normal  moult  begins  with  the  loss  of  the  quill 
feathers  of  the  wings  and  tail  and  progresses  upwards  in  the  manner  just 
described. 
HASTENING  THE  MOULT. 
Once  the  birds  have  commenced  to  shed  feathers  the  aim  should  be  to 
keep  the  process  going  on  evenly  without  a  break,  and  to  get  them  through 
the  moult  quickly.  To  do  this,  heat  and  moisture  are  the  chief,  if  not  the 
only,  essentials.  In  a  room  where  the  temperature  can  be  regulated  to  a 
nicety,  an  even  day  and  night  temperature  of  seventy  degrees  is  not  too 
much,  and,  in  case  of  dry  weather  being  prevalent,  if  this  is  kept  moist  (the 
steam  from  a  boiling  kettle  being  allowed  to  escape  into  the  room  at  regular 
intervals)  so  much  the  better.  This  moisture  is  not  only  of  great  service  in 
helping  on  the  casting  of  the  feathers,  but  is  also  invaluable  for  aiding  the 
growth  and  development  of  the  new  plumage. 
Canaries  moulted  under  such  conditions  on  colour-food  will  be  found  to 
excel  in  colour,  quality  and  quantity  of  feather,  the  plumage  being  much 
better  developed  in  length,  substance  and  quality.  Tepid  baths  are  to  be 
preferred  under  such  conditions,  and  it  goes  without  saying  every  precaution 
to  avoid  chills  raust  be  taken.  The  usual  treatment  of  moulting  birds  in 
conjunction  with  these  additional  factors  will  very  materially  shorten  the 
moulting  period  if  put  in  force  as  soon  as  the  moult  begins.  But  to  adopt 
these  or  any  other  means  to  endeavour  to  force  a  healthy  bird  to  begin 
moulting  prematurely,  is  scarcely  a  legitimate  or  a  wise  policy.  When  the 
moult  shows  a  tendency  to  drag,  a  little  stimulant  (such  as  twenty  drops  of 
whisky  or  brandy  in  each  tablespoonful  of  drinking  water,  combined  with  a 
few  shreds  of  saffron)  will  generally  suffice  to  keep  things  going. 
STUCK  IN  MOULT. 
As  already  indicated,  the  course  of  the  moult  should  be  an  uninterrupted 
process  from  start  to  finish.  Any  break  or  suspension  of  the  process,  or  failing 
to  get  through  it  completely,  will  inevitably  seriously  affect  the  bird's  condition, 
and  not  infrequently  result  in  a  complete  break  down  of  the  system,  and  an  early 
demise  of  the  subject.  Yet,  with  certain  individuals — probably  possessing  some 
unsuspected  constitutional  weakness — a  trifling  thing  may  stop  the  moult 
altogether.  A  sudden  and  great  drop  in  the  normal  temperature  to  which  the 
birds  are  exposed,  or  a  severe  chill  from  any  cause,  will  often  produce  a  suspension 
of  the  moult.  It  is,  therefore,  of  the  utmost  importance  to  protect  the  birds  from 
such  predisposing  causes.  If  the  process  is  suddenly  and  prematurely  stopped, 
and  the  bird  exhibits  such  signs  of  distress  as  sitting  with  its  head  tucked  up,  or 
in  a  sleeping  position  and  feathers  loosely  puffed  out,  its  condition  is  very  serious, 
and  unless  speedily  relieved  the  bird's  term  of  existence  will  be  perilously  near  the 
