The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-07-19
How to Keep Oanaries and Turtles.

While the canary is perhaps the most
popular domestic favorite, very few are
properly cared for. A Harz mountain
canary, which is the very best songster.
will retain his voice for ten or fifteen
years with the right kind of care. In
the first place, the cage should be OF
steel or brass wire, and kept perfectly
clean. Painted cages are bad for the
reason that the paint is apt to peel of,
and may be eaten by the bird. Paper
ing the bottom of the cage is equally
pernicious, and the perches and swing
should be cleaned off every other day,
as a protection against sore feet. Hang
the cage in a tempered sunlight, pro-
tected from drafts, and sprinkle the
floor with sand. Any kind will answer,
and is considered more beneficial than
the cuttle-bone. Many succeed well by
having the sand mixed in with the seed.
Let the food consist chiefly of rape and
canary, two-thirds of the latter with
one-third of rape Sugar is bad thing,
and if used at all should be in very
small quantities. Feed with a bit OF
hard-boiled egg once week; not often
er, as it is too fattening and will injure
the song.
Birds, like featherless bipeds, require
an occasional laxative, for which a
small piece of ripe apple, one berry, an
inch Of lettuce, parsley or celery leaf
may be given twice week. When used
more frequently, or when the fruit is
unripe or decsyed, the result is a light
form of cholera and general derange-
ment In such a case the bird will
sing less than usual, and should be fed
on seed alone, and should be kept in q
warm place. 1t may be mentioned
| right here that ice-cold water can never
be given with impunity. Never try to
| diet the canary in the moulting season,
| which usually occurs from June to Sep
tember, and lasts about two months,
during which time the singing is very
| Indifferent. The other ten moaths will
find the bird in good voice unless allow
| ed to catch cold, or, as before mention
| ed, his food disagrees with him.
Canaries cost from 50 to $4. The
best singers come from Germany,
though fine warblers are found in every
| variety. The females are seldom pos
sessed of good voice. There is no way
| of telling a fine singer from appear
ances; the only test is to buy on proba-
ton, and "give the bird chance"
| The best fish for an aquarium are
| gold, silver, pearl, sun, bull-heads, and
minnows, with turtle, a couple of tad
| poles and snail for variety. Buy the
| smallest fish always, if economy is any
! consideration. In summer the water
should be charged every other day, but
once a week is sufficient in winter.
| Never remove more than three-fourths
of the water, and then discharge with a
siphon, draining the bottom water.
| Globe fish are like hothouse plants, and
require delicate handling, which pre-
cludes plunge bath into water of five
or ten degrees lower temperature.
| When it is necessary to clean out the
basin remove the fish in a bowl of the
same water, and, when restored, pour
them back, water and all, and fill up
the aquarium gradually, in order that
the fish may be accustomed to the tenn
perature. Fish pod should be given in
small quantities, and not oftener than
Never throw bread in the bowl, as the
! chemicals spoil the water. 1t is we'll to
keen q piece of water weed, moss, wan
deri.g Jew or any aquatic plant in the
w.ter. The growth will be slight, but
che animalcule generated will be con-
sumed by the fish. Feed your turtles
and bull-heads with flies and small
worms occasionally, and two or three
| times week attach a small piece OF
raw beef to string and throw it into
the water. This should be removed in
an hour, and the water slightly agi-
| tated.
II there is no projecting rock or cas-
tie in the aquarium, float small piece
of cork for the use of the turtle If min
| nows are used the water will have to be
changed every day. They may be
caught at any of the city parks by the
dozen; they are lively little fellows, very
tame, and would be most desirable.
were it not for the difficulty in keeping
them. Gold, silver, pearl, and sunfisb
do not live over three years.