Year: 1868

In the first place, do not use paint
ed cage. The birds win peck the wires,
more or less, and the paint is very IN
furious, often fatal to them; 50 is To-
bacco smoke. A bird keptin the room
where the .odor of q cigar is allowed is
not only subjected to great discomfort,
but its life is endangered.


The larger the cage the better for the
birds, and if not new, it should be
sealded and we'll dried before putting
them into it. This precaution is nee
essary to avoid mites which prey upon
the birds and are snFs TO infsst The nest,
Unless great care is taken. The cage
should be thoroughly cleaned every
morning. The easiest way to do this
is to place a piece Of clean brown paper
(uot newspaper for they often peck it)
on the drawer Of the cage, changing it
ever morning. The percbes should
not be forgotten, but drawn out, wash
ed and returned, one at time, though
this can hardly be done while there
are eggs in the nest. At that time
care must be taken to avoid iarring the
cage, as it disturbs the eggs; but It
should be kept as clean as possible.


The drinking cup and bathing-dish
should be well washed and filed with
fresh water every morning (iu warm
weather it should be changed oftener)
and the seed cup replenished. Canary
seed, principally, should be given; but
a little rape seed every day is beneficial,
and bruised hemp seed 10 about the
proportion of one-third, (sll hemp seed
is too hearty and heating is good
particularly when laying and brooding.


The seeds must be fresh and dry.
A piece Of cuttle-fsh bone is always
needed. It should be put in the upper
part of the cage as it is thus kept clean
and dry. A lump of sugar, occasion
ally, may do no harm, but as a general
rule avoid sweets, and keep birds, like
children, on plain food.


Lettuce, plaintain seeds and leaves,
chickweed, are all good if fresh, and
the birds are very fond ofthem. Fruit
perfectly ripe and fresh, does good rather
than harm. At the time of laying and
setting, also while bringing the yonng,
the birds requir richer food than usual.
An egg, boiled hard (not the yolk alons
it is too heatiDg) pounded with bis
cult and bread, about half and hall,
should be given daily and the earlier
the better, especially after the young
are hstched, as the parents feed them
from this and the green food provided
for them. The egg and biscuit can
not be safely neglected. About 3
fortnight is the tine Of incubation. Do
not stimulate your bird too much to
set, for she viii be apt to 60 beyond
her strength aud lose her own life By
raising too many broods. Two or three
broods a year are quite enough. Il is
a mistake 10 separate the pair while
the female is setting, or at any time,
unless, which is very rare, The male
pecks the young


Guard your birds from exposure 10
OoAu az Ai8 8utl etloV aiVH4 tOO II Aeu Aooe
Bear in mind that their part Of the
room, when the weather is cold enough
for afire, is warmer than you for heated
air asceads. During cold nights the cage
should be covered, unless the FIRE is
kept in all night.


Always beware OF cat She should
never be allowed in the same room,
She has been known to pull q bird
between the cage wires not even leaving
. feather.


Avoid frightening your birds 1t is
very easy to have them know aud love
you, and welcome your coming, but
they do not like to be handled.


All the suggestions now offered have
borne the test Of long experience.


Time and care are required to keep
birds well and happy in cage.
II we have not time TO take good
care of them We ought not to have
them.-EI.