Our  Canaries 
371 
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head  Canaries. 
is  given  one  or  two  days  a  week,  is  the  most  convenient  method  of  ordinary  use 
for  all  medium  and  large-sized  breeds,  and  for  the  smaller  breeds  a  similar 
mixture,  minus  the  oats  and  groats. 
OTHER  FOOD  SUBSTANCES. 
Egg-foods  and  egg-cakes  we  have  already  dealt  with  fully  in  Chapter  V. 
Apart  from  the  breeding  and  moulting  seasons  the  supply  of  this  food  should  be 
limited  to  once  or  twice  a  week.  For  weak 
or  ailing  birds  bread-and-milk  is  the  York- 
shireman's  panacea,  and  he  long  forestalled 
the  theory  of  a  sour  milk  cure  for  human  ills, 
as  it  is  an  article  of  faith  with  him  that  the 
virtues  of  his  bread-and-milk  porridge  increase 
with  its  age.  It  is  undoubtedly  an  excellent 
article  of  diet  for  invalid  birds,  but  should 
not  be  given  freely  to  healthy  birds  as  it  is 
apt  to  give  rise  to  excessive  embonpoint.  Fruits 
and  vegetables,  which  are  usually  regarded  as 
green  salads,  but  are  in  reality  foods  in  the 
ordinary  sense  of  the  term,  are  banana  (which 
is  a  perfectly  wholesome  and  much  relished  food)  and  carrot,  raw  or  boiled 
(which  is  more  relaxing  if  used  in  any  material  quantity).  The  last-named 
is  most  useful  at  the  end  of  moult  for  the  sake  of  its  appreciably  good  effect  on 
the  plumage.  Ripe  sweet  apple  is  by  far  the  most  frequently  used  substitute  for 
green  food  during  the  winter  and  spring 
months.  It  is  much  appreciated  by  the 
birds,  and  so  long  as  it  is  used  in  modera- 
tion is  harmless  ;  but  observation  leads  us 
to  believe  that  its  too  liberal  or  frequent 
use  is  objectionable.  A  small  piece  twice 
or  at  most  thrice  a  week  is  sufficient.  A 
small  scrap  of  boiled  mealy  potato  occasion- 
ally is  also  much  relished,  and  forms  a 
wholesome  change,  but  must  be  used  in 
the  strictest  moderation.  A  sweet  water 
grape  is  one  of  the  finest  correctives  of  a 
constipated  condition,  and  a  little  crushed  dry  plain  biscuit  is  a  remedy  or 
looseness. 
USEFUL  GREEN  FOODS. 
As  a  rule  the  most  convenient  and  accessible  green  salad  for  the  town- 
dweller  is  watercress.    This  should  always  be  well  washed  before  use,  and  as  far 
as  possible  one  should  make  certain  of  using  only  that  which  is  grown  under  sani- 
Show  Cage  for  Crest  and  Crest-bred 
Canaries. 
