THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
93 
Except in the breeding sea3on, the male canaries should be kept 
alone in separate cages, which, whatever the shape, ought not to be 
less than eight inches in diameter and a foot in height, with two 
sticks placed across for the birds to perch on. The females mav be 
allowed to range the room with one wing clipped, or, which is 
better, kept in large cages ; where, from having plenty of exercise, 
their health and strength are better preserved. In the small cages, 
glass vases should be placed on the outside, at the extremities of the 
lower stick, to hold the food and water. 
These may be surmounted with a cap of tin, or something of the 
kind, to prevent the seed from being so easily scattered. Cleanli- 
ness being a great preservative against most of their disorders, the 
bottom of the cage should be made to draw out, that it may more 
easily be cleaned and covered with sand. This should be done every 
day, or at least several times a week. 
These tender birds, being natives of a warm climate, and be- 
coming more delicate instead of hardier from being kept in the 
house, require a temperature analogous to that of their native 
climate. They must be protected from the cold, and never allowed 
to remain in winter in a cold room, which would occasion many 
diseases, or even death. But in summer it is proper to place them 
in the open air, and they enjoy it very much. Never do they sing 
so gaily as on tine days, and their cages should therefore be placed 
at the open window, that they may have the advantage of the light 
and heat of the sun, which is particularly serviceable to them while 
bathing. 
Their food is an important point; for in proportion as it is 
simple and natural, it will be wholesome ; and, on the contrary, the 
more it is mixed and rare, the more injurious and productive of 
disease will it be. What we have found the best is summer rape- 
seed ; we mean that which is sowm at the end of spring, which is 
small and brown, in distinction from the winter rape-seed, which is 
sown in the autumn, and which is large and black. This seed alone 
agrees with canaries as well as linnets ; but to give them the plea- 
sure of variety, a little bruised hemp, or canary, or poppy-seed is 
added to it, especially in the spring, when they are intended to 
breed. Indeed, a mixture of rape-seed, oatmeal, aud millet, or 
canary-seed may be given to them as a great treat. But whatever 
seeds they may have, they equally require green foods, as chickweed 
in spring, lettuce arid radish-leaves in summer, endive, water-cress, 
and slices of sweet apple in winter. As to that whimsical and com- 
plicated mixture, prescribed aud used by many people, of rape, 
millet, hemp, canary-seed, maize, sugar, cake, hard biscuit, crack- 
nels, buns, and the like, so far from being wholesome, it injures 
the birds in every respect. It spoils their taste, weakens their 
stomachs, renders them feeble, sickly, aud incapable of bearing 
moulting, under which they most frequently die. It is true that 
they may be accustomed to eat everything which comes to table ; 
but to teach this habit is also to prepare a poison for them, which, 
though slow, is not the less sure, aud brings them to a premature 
death; whilst every day we see bird-fanciers, who are poor, v. ho 
IT arch. 
