14 
HINTS ON CAGE-BIRDS. 
ruined. Perches are usually made too small, particularly for large 
birds ; thus I do not believe that a Blackbird is comfortable unless 
his perch has a diameter of about half an inch. I generally use one 
nearly 1 in. wide by J,- in. deep. 
For birds with delicate feet, like the Nightingales, an excellent 
plan (recommended to me by my late chief, who has kept birds more 
or less since he was a lad in Germany) is to draw over them apiece 
of indiarabber tubing; the rubber is soft and yielding to the toes 
which grasp it, and is easily wiped clean with a wet rag. 
In aviaries I know of nothing better than natural branches let 
into the uprights which support the roof, and firmly screwed in place ; 
Lady Morshead’s Garden Aviary. 
of course, these may be supplemented by dead or living shrubs or 
dwarf trees. 
As regards receptacles for water, the most simple and cleanly 
for hanging outside cages are formed like the back of a child's per- 
ambulator with the hood up ; but if your cages are large enough 
I see no objection to letting the bird have his bath and drinking 
trough in one, in which case the earthenware pots for pigeon food 
with the rim turned in answer remarkably well. Blackbirds some- 
times foul their water systematically ; but their filthy habits do not 
appear to injure their health. 
In aviaries undoubtedly the running fountain is the ideal thing, 
for the water is then always changing and never foul. I have these 
in two of my aviaries, but in the others I use either large flower-pot 
saucers about 8 in. to 10 in. across, or zinc trays 2 in. in depth and 
about 2 ft, by 1 ft. in other dimensions ; these are all scrubbed out 
daily. The covered arrangement generally called a “ fountain ” is 
objectionable, because it tempts the owner to neglect it from the 
mere fact that the water does not look dirty after a day’s use ; and, 
in the second place, it deprives the birds of one of their most health- 
ful enjoyments — a bath. 
