,,all ,,about ,,your ,canary ,illustration3 ,frenchy the famous ,canary ,pirate ,,published ,,by ,,the ,r4 ,t4 ,,french ,,company ,,rochester #i1 ,,new ,,york ,a ,word to the ,reader ,at the turn of the century1 the food business was in the cracker barrel stage4 ,packaged foods were just beginning to make their appearance in ,american grocery stores4 ,it was during this period that ,mr4 ,george ,j4 ,french developed the idea of marketing bird seed in packages4 ,mr4 ,french1 then ,president of ,the ,r4 ,t4 ,french ,company1 had raised caged birds for many years as a hobby1 and he knew that a clean1 dependable packaged bird food would be welcomed by canary lovers4 ,the new product was an immediate success4 ,the sale of branded bird seed in packages brought ,mr4 ,french an increasing flood of letters from bird owners which he carefully answered himself4 ,in #aibe1 using the pen name ,bird1 he wrote the original ,french's ,bird ,book4 ,as this latest version1 ,all ,about ,your ,canary1 is written1 ,french's ,bird ,seed and ,biscuit--the pioneer in its field--is the largest selling bird seed in ,america4 ,copyright #aiea by ,,the ,r4 ,t4 ,,french ,,company ,lithographed in ,u4,s4,a4 ,canary ,isles to ,crystal ,palace ,illustration3 ,frenchy ,lying off the northwest coast of ,africa are two small groups of islands1 the ,canary ,islands and the ,islands of ,madeira4 ,these tiny specks of land are the habitat of the little green finch1 or wild canary4 ,the song of these canaries so appealed to sailors who visited the islands that quantities of the colorful birds were captured and carried back to ,europe4 ,by the early #afth century1 these song birds were prized possessions of many noblemen4 ,today the sweet song of the canary is enjoyed all over the world4 ,in the patient hands of breeders1 the canary has evolved into many forms and colors4 ,by #aijj there were twenty-seven distinct varieties and types of canary birds4 ,in ,germany there is the famous ,roller singing bird4 ,there is also the peculiar ,dutch bird with all its feathers turned the wrong way1 the round-shouldered ,belgian and ,scotch ,fancies1 and the beautiful ,english birds--the ,lancashire ,coppy with its great crest1 the ,yorkshire1 the ,norwich1 and the ,border ,fancy4 ,some1 like the ,london ,fancy which had exquisite orange and black markings on the head and tail1 unfortunately are already extinct4 ,the ,british1 who breed their birds mainly for beauty of plumage and form1 are among the greatest fanciers in the world4 ,they have hundreds of societies organized for the purpose of perfecting particular types of birds4 ,regular shows are held all over the ,united ,kingdom4 ,dozens of professional judges are required for the two large shows in the ,royal ,horticultural ,hall1 ,westminster4 ,in ,december #aidh1 hundreds of visitors were turned away from the ,crystal ,palace for lack of room when the ,national ,exhibition staged a record showing of #edcj birds4 ,a second huge exhibit at the ,crystal ,palace in early #aidi was also filled to capacity4 ,the majority of ,british fanciers are working men who raise canaries as a hobby4 ,championship birds frequently sell for high prices4 ,at one exhibition #ajj was refused for a canary4 ,the ,german breeders were the first to organize the sale of canaries on a large scale4 ,in the years following ,world ,war ,i1 ,german bird brokers bought canaries from thousands of individual breeders1 collected them at port cities1 and shipped them to ,new ,york4 ,the birds were sold so cheaply that even after paying an import duty of #ej cents a bird the ,new ,york wholesalers could resell them profitably for less than #b4jj each4 ,these birds were the marvelous singers one used to buy for #e4jj or less4 ,needless to say1 the ,german exporters controlled the popular market4 ,when importations from ,germany were halted by ,world ,war ,,ii1 ,american breeders stepped into the breach4 ,it is doubtful that our fanciers will ever give up this interesting and profitable hobby4 ,the other great ,german contribution to the canary hobby was the development of the roller singer4 ,the first rollers to receive recognition were those developed some years prior to #ahij by a poor ,german miner named ,trute4 ,the birds which he bred and trained in his spare time were the ancestors of the famous ,trute strain4 ,erntzes1 ,seiferts1 and ,volkmans were other ,german pioneers4 ,over the years since1 the roller singer has become popular everywhere4 ,there is a vast difference between the song of the natural chopper and the roller singer4 ,the natural chopper might be likened to a folk singer--the roller to an operatic star4 ,the chopper's song is a free1 natural expression of happiness which anyone can appreciate2 while the roller's song1 like the operatic aria1 is best understood and loved by listeners who have developed a keen ear for subtle distinctions in expression and tone4 ,rollers sing from their throats with their beaks almost closed4 ,the roller's song is actually unnatural in that it is not characteristic of the wild canary4 ,it has become a trait1 however1 as a result of endless training and care in selective breeding4 ,the roller's song is composed of rolls or tours of differing cadence and pitch which are things of beauty to the hobbyist who has cultivated an ear for them4 ,low pitched tones are considered most valuable4 ,the more common tours are called ,hollow ,roll1 ,schockel1 ,hollow ,bell1 ,water ,roll1 ,glucke1 ,bell ,glucke1 ,water ,glucke1 ,bell ,roll1 and ,flute4 ,the chopper canary's song is natural4 ,the standards set up for the chopper require only that he be a free and frequent singer2 have a sweet tone2 be a pretty bird from the standpoint of feathering1 color and form2 and be lively and energetic4 ,a chopper sings with open beak1 head back1 throat swollen--the picture of happiness4 ,,canaries ,,for ,,companionship ,there is gladness for every member of the family in the living1 loving1 happy companionship of a canary4 ,a canary in the home helps to build character in children4 ,it teaches kindness4 ,its care gives the boy or girl a feeling of responsibility4 ,interest in ,nature is encouraged4 ,imagination is developed4 ,children acquire a protective instinct that overcomes their tendency to mischievous cruelty4 ,when the children have left home1 a pair of canaries will do much to overcome ,mom's and ,dad's loneliness4 ,in the sick room or the hospital1 in the home for the aged1 the schoolroom--in fact1 almost any place where the joy of loving companionship is important--a happy1 singing canary will do much to brighten the hours4 ,you may know of someone who needs such companionship4 ,,buying ,a ,,canary ,if you are about to buy a canary1 go to a reputable dealer or breeder4 ,the best period in which to make your selection and purchase is from ,november1 after the birds have completed their first moult1 through ,may4 ,explain what you want1 make your own selection1 and take your time about it4 ,take a seat in front of the birds4 ,by watching them1 you can soon tell which are singers4 ,compare the better singers one with another2 eliminate one and repeat the process until you have selected the bird that pleases you most4 ,choose a bird that is smooth1 brightly feathered1 whose actions are sharp1 crisp and sprightly4 ,after you have taken him home1 place the carrying cage or box directly against the open door of the bird's new home4 ,in a short time the little chap will go from the carrying cage without being alarmed1 and probably will soon be singing4 ,if there is no canary dealer in your locality1 write to the ,mail ,order ,department of ,the ,r4 ,t4 ,french ,company1 ,rochester #i1 ,new ,york4 ,from ,november through ,may1 except during the ,christmas shipping rush1 we are usually able to ship either ,french's ,carillons 7choppers7 or ,french's ,carollers 7rollers7 to any express office in the ,u4,s4,a4 ,both types are selected birds1 guaranteed to arrive in full health and feather1 and to sing within two weeks4 ,general ,canary ,care ,illustration3 ,frenchy ,about ten minutes a day is all that is required for the care of a canary and its cage4 ,if you have children1 let them share the daily routine4 ,without realizing it1 they will learn valuable lessons in kindness and responsibility4 ,the normal schedule of canary care is simple4 ,each morning give your canary fresh seed and a supply of fresh water in clean cups4 ,daily or on alternate days feed a bit of green food4 ,occasionally give him a small amount of a treat such as song food4 ,keep a cuttle bone and a ,french's ,bird ,biscuit in the cage4 ,allow the bird to bathe daily1 or two or three times a week4 ,keep the perches and cage clean1 and a covering of gravel on the floor4 ,these are the essentials of canary care4 ,more detailed information appears below4 ,follow the suggestions made here1 and your canary will reward you with joyful song and years of happy companionship4 ,,the ,,cage ,place the cage at eye level in a room where the temperature is moderate and fairly even4 ,choose a light corner or a place near but to one side of a bright and cheery window where the cage is never fully in the direct sunshine and is away from drafts4 ,when introducing a bird to a new cage1 place the cage away from the light4 ,for an hour or two guard against any noise or movement which may alarm the bird until he is accustomed to his new home4 ,it is not necessary to cover the cage at night unless the room cools off rapidly to low temperatures or is frequently lighted4 ,modern cages are usually made of steel1 and are rectangular in shape4 ,those having a floor size about nine by fifteen inches are most popular4 ,the drawer tray should work smoothly4 ,lower perches should be arranged directly beneath upper perches to avoid fouling1 and just far enough in from the ends to prevent the tail feathers breaking against the cage bars4 ,seed and water cups should have smooth edges to help prevent loss of feathers about the head and neck4 ,perches should be of soft wood1 preferably in both oval and round shapes1 and with different girths1 to simulate the varied perching conditions encountered by wild birds4 ,the broad surface of oval perches provides particularly good support and relaxed1 strainless perching4 ,gravel-coated perch covers are not recommended as they furnish an excellent hiding place for mites and are irritating to the feet4 ,if possible1 choose a sturdy1 simply constructed cage with a minimum of cracks1 crevices1 and joints which are difficult to scrub4 ,many cages are made in such a way that their entire bottoms are removable4 ,this is convenient when giving the bird a bath1 cleaning the cage floor1 adding gravel1 and so forth4 ,always place your hands on the sides near the bottom when lifting such a cage4 ,if you were to place your hands at the top of the cage1 the bird would probably be frightened and fly out the open bottom4 ,,cage ,,care ,routine cage care is as essential to the cage bird's well-being as a regular supply of fresh food and water4 ,the cups and perches should be cleaned daily1 therefore an extra set of each is desirable4 ,clean cups are filled with fresh seed and water in advance and along with clean perches are set in the cage when the soiled cups and perches are removed1 scrubbed1 and dried for use the following day4 ,uneaten seed can be poured from hand to hand and the husks and chaff blown off1 then added to fresh seed and reused4 ,damp or wet perches are thought to be harmful4 ,take out the drawer tray and dump the soiled gravel4 ,wash the tray with hot suds2 rinse1 dry1 cover it with fresh gravel1 and replace it in the cage4 ,one advantage of the removable cage bottom is that if it is soiled it can be withdrawn and cleaned just before the clean drawer tray is replaced4 ,once a week the cage should be completely scrubbed with a stiff brush1 good suds1 and hot water4 ,be sure all cracks and crevices are cleaned out for they are breeding places for red mites4 ,while this is going on the bird may be allowed free flight if the room is safe2 otherwise it should be transferred to a temporary cage4 ,,food ,your pet's good health depends on good treatment1 good housing1 and good food4 ,the canary needs fresh water1 nutritious food1 and proper amounts of minerals and vitamins4 ,like other members of the hard-billed finch family1 the canary's main food requirement is seeds1 as its sturdy seed-cracking bill indicates4 ,in nature he finds supplies of calcium and other minerals for bone1 feather1 and egg production1 in addition to seeds and greens4 ,although he is not primarily an insect eater1 the canary relishes insects and their larvae1 as do other members of the finch family4 ,,vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two ,,supplement ,some years ago1 poultry experts discovered one reason why chickens that ran outdoors were superior to those always kept indoors and never allowed to run free4 ,those permitted to scratch outdoors were benefiting from something in the soil1 something derived from animal matter3 ,the scientists called it ,,apf1 meaning animal protein factor4 ,they learned to isolate it and to put it into diet supplements for livestock4 ,the results were amazing2 poultry grew faster and larger1 hatched more eggs1 reared more hatchlings1 and replaced moulted feathers more quickly4 ,the scientists then discovered that the most important component of ,,apf for growth and hatchability was a red vitamin1 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two4 ,it was found to be one of the most effective therapeutic substances known for its weight4 ,as little as #a_/bjjth of a teaspoon of pure ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two to a ton of livestock feed is considered adequate6 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two was first isolated from liver by research workers in ,england4 ,since then processors have learned to extract it from fermentation products at a more reasonable cost4 ,the ,r4 ,t4 ,french ,laboratory1 noting the effect of ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two on poultry and hogs1 began a long series of tests with canaries and parrakeets4 ,french's had pioneered in the past in packaging bird seed1 in air-washing it to remove dust1 in eliminating the over-use of hempseed1 in producing a balanced bird diet1 and in the use of yeast and wheat germ supplements4 ,this ,vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two research was a part of ,french's never-ending program of bringing to bird owners the new products and techniques of science as soon as they can be authoritatively documented4 ,a year passed before ,french's laboratory reported these four apparent facts3 #a4 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two is non-toxic #b4 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two improves the palatability of the food to which it is added 7birds like it7 #c4 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two promotes feathering #d4 ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two hastens the development of young birds4 ,the significance of the last two points is important to all bird owners4 ,in moulting1 for instance1 the loss and replacement of feathers is a severe tax on a bird's general health1 and an improperly feathered bird is at a great disadvantage4 ,furthermore1 nutrition experts place great importance on the growth and development which foods produce in young animals and birds4 ,foods which support the best rates of development are naturally considered the most desirable4 ,vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two was included in the formulas for ,french's ,bird ,biscuit and ,french's ,nestling ,food only after the company had been convinced that the addition of ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two would be a real contribution to canary and parrakeet nutrition4 ,bird owners will do well to feed vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two regularly4 ,this can be done by keeping the biscuit in the cage at all times4 ,sick or run-down birds1 in particular1 should have the biscuit or the nestling food4 ,,about ,,feeding ,,dainties ,most persons like to give their pets a treat now and then4 ,an occasional treat is always relished and is usually beneficial4 ,wild seeds you have gathered are excellent4 ,french's ,song ,food and ,french's ,bird ,biscuit are treats most canaries enjoy4 ,french's ,sunshine ,food is especially helpful during winter months4 ,these ,french's treats are excellent nutritional supplements which the canary enjoys4 ,follow the directions on each package1 and your canary will be benefited out of all proportion to the small amount fed4 ,,birds ,,need ,,minerals ,extensive research with chickens has indicated that for proper nutrition and good health birds require quite a long list of minerals1 some in fairly substantial amounts1 others in only minute traces4 ,the trace minerals and many of the others are present in sufficient quantity in the foods regularly fed4 ,calcium is required in larger amounts and is best supplied by keeping a cuttle bone in the cage at all times4 ,the cuttle bone is the backbone of the saltwater cuttle fish and provides a ready source of calcium and several other required minerals4 ,if the cuttle bone becomes soiled or dusty1 replace it with a fresh one4 ,add a tiny pinch of salt to a treat cup of ,song ,food or ,sunshine ,food once a week4 ,occasionally dry and sterilize a few egg shells when you are using the oven4 ,crushed and sprinkled in with the gravel1 these make good supplemental sources of calcium4 ,,importance ,,of ,,bird ,,gravel ,nature did not supply your ,canary with teeth to help grind his food4 ,the food goes directly to the crop where it is mixed with digestive juices and softened4 ,thence it passes to the gizzard1 where with the aid of gravel previously swallowed1 it is ground up for assimilation4 ,the gizzard is a small thick pouch with very tough1 muscular walls which rub against each other at great pressure4 ,when gravel is present1 this action grinds the food into a soft1 easily digested mass4 ,therefore it is essential that your canary have free access to a plentiful supply of gravel of the right kind and size4 ,gravel composed of limestone or magnesia should not be used1 because it is readily dissolved by the bird's digestive juices4 ,beach sand may have harmful impurities and is usually worn and rounded4 ,gravel should be hard1 sharp rather than round1 and not affected by digestive juices4 ,french's ,bird ,gravel is crushed silica sandstone quartz and meets these requirements perfectly4 ,it is thoroughly washed1 carefully screened to a uniform size1 and then sterilized by heat4 ,when sprinkled on the floor of the cage1 it helps keep the bird's feet in condition by wearing off the scales and dirt1 and it is a distinct aid in keeping the cage floor clean and dry4 ,,feeding ,,green ,,foods ,one of the best green foods for birds is a slice of sweet apple or orange placed between the bars of the cage4 ,chickweed and watercress are also good4 ,many bird owners feed lettuce1 which is satisfactory2 but it must be examined carefully and any frozen parts removed4 ,the long stalks of the rattail plantain weed are much relished4 ,you can keep them several days by standing them in water4 ,before giving them to the bird1 cut off the ends4 ,both flowers and the tender new leaves of dandelions are pleasing and beneficial to canaries4 ,an interesting and simple way to provide greens for your pet is to scatter a pinch or two of ,french's ,bird ,seed on the soil surface of some of your house plants4 ,the seeds soon root and make excellent greens4 ,sprouted seed is a wonderful treat4 ,place one teaspoonful of seed per bird in water and allow it to stand overnight4 ,in the morning rinse the seed in two or three clear tepid waters and spread on a moist clean towel4 ,the tiny sprouts will soon break through and the seed may be dried and fed4 ,renew daily1 for soaked1 sprouted seed spoils fast4 ,,wild ,,seeds ,,for ,,canaries ,gathering seeds can be a delightful pastime4 ,the following are most beneficial3 seed heads of seeding grasses1 ,plantain1 ,chickweed1 ,shepherd's ,purse1 ,dock ,groundsel1 ,clover1 ,teazle1 ,queen ,anne's ,lace1 ,charlock1 ,smartweed1 dandelion and thistles1 except ,burdock4 ,these seeds are particularly good at moulting and mating times and a few are always relished as a treat4 ,,insect ,,food ,meal worms1 the stand-by food of bird fanciers who keep soft-bills as pets1 are a real delicacy and are very beneficial for canaries1 especially during the breeding and moulting seasons1 or when a bird is run-down as a result of soft moult4 ,meal worms are the larvae of the small grain moths such as are prevalent in any cereal product1 and which you sometimes find in bird seed4 ,meal worms can often be raised as a profitable side line and sold to pet shops4 ,,egg ,,food ,egg food is a required food supplement at mating and moulting4 ,it is made by mashing a #cj-minute hard cooked egg with enough toasted whole wheat bread crumbs to give a crumbly moist mixture4 ,crushed cracker crumbs1 ,pablum1 chick starter mash1 or ,french's ,nestling ,food may be substituted for the whole wheat bread crumbs to provide variety4 ,egg food spoils quickly4 ,as a precaution1 any remaining in the cup or scattered on the cage floor should be removed within two or three hours4 ,egg food can be kept a short while under refrigeration1 but it should be fed at room temperature1 rather than cold4 ,at the first off taste or odor it should be discarded1 and a fresh lot prepared4 ,french's ,nestling ,food moistened with water or scalded milk makes a reliable egg food substitute for occasional feeding4 ,,color ,,feeding ,,for ,,canaries ,it has long been the custom for bird fanciers to add certain substances to the diet during moulting which will tint the bird's plumage to colors ranging from deep yellow to orange or red4 ,to do this1 start feeding color food at the beginning of the moult4 ,the food is prepared as follows3 to a hard boiled egg add two or three crackers and a half-teaspoonful of fresh paprika4 ,mix well together with two or three drops of olive oil to form a paste and supply each bird with a teaspoonful of the mixture daily4 ,each morning give a fresh supply4 ,after the first week gradually increase the amount of the color food until the desired color is reached4 ,the amount may then be gradually decreased until the end of the moult1 when color-feeding should be discontinued1 as it is effective only while feathers are growing4 ,french's ,moulting ,food and this color food in equal amounts1 moistened with a drop or two of olive oil1 is an effective mixture relished by canaries4 ,once or twice a week1 a small portion of flaxseed should be mixed with the regular seed4 ,other delicacies should be withheld1 as they may induce the birds to neglect their color food4 ,use great care to exclude drafts4 ,avoid keeping the birds in a strong light1 as this may fade the tints you are trying to obtain4 ,it may be well on very bright days to lay a cloth over the bright side of the cage4 ,french's ,iron ,compound should be given in doses of #h to #aj drops to the drinking-cup1 if your bird seems off its feed4 ,,bathing ,a bird should be trained to bathe in a regular bathing dish at least three times a week4 ,any small1 shallow dish may be used for a bathing dish4 ,if the cage bottom is not removable1 the dish should be small enough to pass through the cage door4 ,the outside baths that hang over the cage door opening are practical and easy to use4 ,fill the dish or bath with about one half inch of cool water4 ,many owners have found that birds can be tempted into their bathing dish by floating a small bit of green food or a few seeds on the surface4 ,the bird picks these out of the water1 finds it is rather pleasant1 and is soon enjoying his bath4 ,if this is not successful1 try placing a small mirror in the bottom of the bathing dish4 ,sometimes the bird is attracted into the water when it sees its own image4 ,in very warm summer weather1 the bird will enjoy a bath each day but in winter allow a bath only two or three mornings a week4 ,never force your bird to bathe4 ,if he persists in bathing from his drinking cup1 remove or empty the cup while the bathing dish is in the cage4 ,the bird's feet should be examined to see that they are clean and healthy4 ,the feet of birds inclined to shirk their bath often become caked4 ,if this condition is found1 the feet should be soaked in warm water1 and the accumulations gently removed4 ,it is then well to rub a little sweet oil into the bird's feet4 ,,escaped ,,bird ,one day when you have the cage door open1 or the floor of the cage removed for cleaning1 your pet may escape and fly about the room4 ,if this happens1 do not chase or grab at the bird4 ,he will become frightened1 and if you catch him1 you may grasp him too firmly4 ,if your pet escapes1 remain calm4 ,first shut all the doors and windows in the room1 and turn off any open flames on the kitchen range if the bird is loose in the kitchen4 ,pull down the shades and turn off the lights4 ,when the room is darkened1 the bird will cease to fly about4 ,then you can easily approach it1 take it gently in your cupped hand1 and return it to the cage4 ,if you cannot darken the room1 just prop open the cage door4 ,left alone1 most birds will fly back inside the cage for food and water in a short time4 ,if the bird gets out-of-doors it will not usually fly farther than a nearby shrub or tree4 ,again1 tie the cage door open and set the cage where the bird can see it1 and the canary will usually come home in short while4 ,the main thing is to keep calm and avoid frightening or injuring the bird4 ,when the weather is warm1 an escaped bird perching on a low shrub or branch is sometimes caught easily after his feathers have been dampened by a fine mist from the garden hose4 ,this method should never be used in cold weather4 ,,exercise ,,and ,,play ,birds in small cages need exercise4 ,tie a few strands of worsted to the top of the cage for your canary to tug on1 and sometimes dangle a small bright key or other metal object from the top of the cage4 ,a small bell suspended in the cage will sometimes attract and hold the interest of the bird when nothing else will4 ,canaries like attention and excitement4 ,talk to them frequently4 ,they are usually fond of music too1 and will often try to drown it with their own notes4 ,allowing the canary to have the freedom of the room provides it both pleasure and exercise4 ,the dangers are that the bird may injure itself or that it will pick up something not good for it to eat4 ,if you decide in favor1 prop or tie the cage door open and let the bird return to the cage by itself4 ,have a regular time1 such as when cleaning the cage4 ,,cats ,the cat is a natural enemy of small birds4 ,if a cat is kept in the home1 be sure to hang the cage where the cat cannot reach it or knock it down by leaping on it4 ,,mice ,mice are especially fond of bird seed4 ,at night they sometimes enter the room where the bird is kept and eat the seeds which have fallen on the floor4 ,they will often reach the cage by climbing up a curtain or drape4 ,a bird is thus frightened and disturbed at a time when it should be asleep1 and as a result it will be drowsy in the daytime1 lose its gay spirits1 and fail to sing4 ,see that the cage is not hung in a place where mice can reach it4 ,,taming ,a ,,canary ,a canary is easily tamed4 ,take a tiny pinch of ,french's ,song ,food and moisten it in your lips4 ,raise your hand slowly and spread the moistened food on the cage bars near an upper perch4 ,out of curiosity1 the canary will hop over to see what you have placed on the bar1 pick at it1 and enjoy eating it4 ,do this once or twice a day1 and in a short time you will find he is accustomed to your presence and will pick the food from your fingers4 ,birds like to feed from the lips4 ,after a bird has taken a treat from your finger1 place a bit between your lips4 ,if he takes it from you1 you can rest assured that you have his confidence and probably will always have it4 ,,how ,,to ,,ship ,a ,,canary ,a cardboard carton approximately #h;,,double ,,prime #h;,,double ,,prime #ab;,,double ,,prime is suitable for shipping one or two canaries4 ,cover all joints inside the bottom of box with gummed tape to prevent loss of feed supply by sifting4 ,cut a row of six small holes near the top for ventilation4 ,next cut an opening on one side for a window4 ,the window need not be more than #c;,,double ,,prime square4 ,in cool weather cover this opening with reinforced1 transparent plastic window material1 usually available at hardware stores or poultry supply dealers4 ,in warm weather1 use a small square of regular wire screen1 secured in place with heavy package wrapping tape4 ,cut an opening on the opposite side for a door approximately #c;,,double ,,prime square1 leaving one of the four sides uncut to act as a hinge4 ,use a clean evaporated milk can for a water cup4 ,cut an opening about one inch square in the top of the can near the edge4 ,place the can on the floor of the box against the two sides forming a corner near the window4 ,the opening in the top of the can should be toward the center of the box4 ,secure the can in position with a piece of wire4 ,loop the wire around the can and run the ends through the two sides of the box forming the corner4 ,the ends of the wire should then be folded flat and held in place with tape4 ,filling the container half full of clean imitation sponge will help to prevent the water in the can from spilling4 ,using small tacks1 nail a perch across the narrow width of the box at the window end #a;,,double ,,prime from the floor and close enough to the water container so that the canary can reach it from the perch4 ,the perch must not be closer than four inches from the end of the box to prevent injury to the bird's tail feathers4 ,to provide additional moisture1 wire a half an orange to the corner of the box nearest the other end of the perch4 ,the orange should be placed so the bird can reach it easily from the perch4 ,the sliced side of the orange should face into the box1 and the wires should be taped on the outside4 ,scatter several tablespoons of seed and a few teaspoons of gravel on the floor4 ,seal the box at the top with gummed tape4 ,label top of carton in bold black letters ,,live ,,bird--,,this ,,side ,,up4 ,print addresses ,,to and ,,from plainly4 ,admit canary and seal door with gummed tape4 ,tie carton securely with heavy wrapping cord4 ,illustration3 ,,cut-,,away ,,view ,,of ,,canary ,,shipping ,,case a4 ,ventilation holes b4 ,door taped shut c4 ,half orange wired to corner of box d4 ,window with wire screen covering taped in position e4 ,water cup wired to corner of box f4 ,perch ,it is a good plan to call the ,express ,company to get a routing and time of train departure so the bird need not wait in the depot for hours before train time4 ,when possible take the bird to the ,express office yourself4 ,have all necessary papers written up4 ,these will be supplied in advance by the ,express ,company4 ,birds must be insured for full value1 otherwise the ,express ,company will pay no more than #e4jj in the event the bird is lost1 stolen1 or accidentally killed4 ,a ,gallery of ,canary ,portraits ,each bird in this collection of thirty-six life-size canary portraits was painted from an actual live model carefully selected to typify the best qualities of a particular breed or type4 ,to appreciate fully the beauty of these paintings1 stand the book upright and view them at a distance of from four to five feet as you would paintings in an exhibition gallery4 ,north light will be found better than most artificial illumination4 ,william ,c4 ,dilger1 one of ,america's most talented ornithological artists1 painted these outstanding canary portraits4 ,at the time the paintings were made1 ,mr4 ,dilger was completing work for his ,doctor's degree at ,cornell ,university4 ,mr4 ,dilger has had many years of experience in the field of bird painting4 ,as a boy1 he found his greatest pleasure in drawing birds4 ,even while in the ,army in ,world ,war ,,ii1 he found time to continue his study by sketching wild birds native to ,india and the ,far ,east4 ,this collection of paintings truly represents a labor of love4 ,mr4 ,george ,f4 ,mitchell of ,toronto1 ,canada1 one of the continent's most highly regarded bird show judges1 supervised the descriptions in the ,gallery ,catalogue and served as consultant throughout the preparation of the paintings4 ,mr4 ,mitchell is well-known both in ,canada and the ,united ,states for his efforts in connection with bird shows4 ,,birds ,,are ,,described ,,in ,,the ,,order ,,of ,,appearance ,the ,gallery ,catalogue ,,yellow ,,roller ,,canary ,the roller canary is bred primarily for song1 hence the form1 feather1 size1 and substance of this roller makes it most exceptional4 ,most rollers are no more than five inches in length1 with a much flatter appearing head and straighter back and are lacking in the solid girth of this bird4 ,with the advent of color breeding1 many of the foremost ,u4 ,s4 roller fanciers are experimenting with color1 size1 and form improvements1 as shown in this advanced type4 ,,plate #a ,,yellow ,,chopper ,,in ,,song ,the chopper opens its beak wide in attaining some of its clear1 free notes4 ,the song of the chopper varies from that of the roller to the loud1 full song of the average type canary1 including the song of various crosses between the canary and birds of related families4 ,there are no standards for the song of the chopper other than that it be cheerful1 lively1 and free4 ,its action should be lively and alert4 ,,plate #b ,,variegated ,,yellow ,,roller ,,in ,,song ,the almost closed beak is typical of the roller in full song4 ,this characteristic1 plus the much prized low pitched song tours such as the ,hollow ,roll1 ,bass1 and ,koller serve to distinguish the roller canary4 ,tone quality is just as important as range4 ,there is some possibility that the use of rape seed is at least partly responsible for the lower pitch of their most valued tours4 ,,plate #c ,,green ,,chopper ,,canary ,the canary breeder usually specializes in type1 color1 or song4 ,it is not unusual for a breeder to produce a hundred canaries for every worthwhile bird retained for further breeding4 ,the remaining birds are mostly sold to pet stores4 ,hence1 in the chopper classification there appear all colors1 shapes1 and sizes1 and this green bird obviously has inherited much ,border ,fancy ,blood4 ,,plate #d ,,variegated ,,chopper ,,canary ,in canaries1 marked birds are more usual than birds of solid colors1 and are known among breeders as variegated birds4 ,the variegated1 with irregular or even markings1 often provides the individualism that appeals to a prospective bird owner who buys a canary as a gift4 ,evenly balanced markings that are exactly repeated on each side of the bird are fairly rare4 ,,plate #e ,,cinnamon ,,chopper ,,canary ,the rich yellow-brown cinnamon coloring is an important variation in canaries4 ,being most attractive in itself1 in addition1 it is the basis for the delightful fawn coloring4 ,the cinnamon pictured here has a well formed body1 just a bit thick in the neck4 ,pencilling in a cinnamon is a deeper shade of the same yellow-brown body color1 and similarly1 the ends of the flight feathers can be an even deeper yellow-brown shade4 ,,plate #f ,,blue ,,chopper ,,canary ,blue refers to slate or smoky gray coloring4 ,the body conformation of this blue canary shows unmistakable ,border ,fancy ,canary ancestry4 ,in many blues the pencilling over the back is less distinct than in this specimen1 and often there is considerable marking or variegation4 ,,plate #g ,,white ,,chopper ,,canary ,in a white canary the white should be as pure as possible4 ,the feathering of the canary illustrated is very good and the body conformation is pleasing4 ,some whites show faint colorings which are inherited and are natural to whites from crossing yellow and white canaries4 ,pure whites are rare and very valuable4 ,,plate #h ,,fawn ,,chopper ,,canary ,in the fawn1 the yellow of the yellow-brown cinnamon coloring is absent1 leaving a rich brown background4 ,this delightful mutation is now present in type birds and rollers4 ,,plate #i ,,clear ,,cap ,,gold ,,lizard ,,canary ,the distinctive ,lizard ,canaries1 silver cap and gold cap1 are regaining some of their previous popularity4 ,the ,gold ,lizard shown here shows the lizard markings across the back and shoulders more attractively than does our ,silver ,lizard4 ,these two birds were imported1 as were others used for these reproductions4 ,they have exceptionally good lizard markings and size4 ,,plate #aj ,,clear ,,cap ,,silver ,,lizard ,,canary ,the ,silver ,lizard ,canary shown here has good size and excellent feathering and markings4 ,lizard ,canaries offer the fancier an opportunity to show birds of much interest to the casual viewer4 ,,plate #aa ,,yellow ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,the ,border ,fancy ,canary has outstanding beauty and delicacy of form4 ,the ,yellow ,border ,fancy ,canary is the ideal sought by perhaps nineteen out of twenty ,border breeders4 ,,plate #ab ,,yellow-,,green ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,the green in this bird is an excellent foil for the almost black pencilling which appears on the shoulder1 back1 and flank4 ,the feathering is well depicted4 ,the green color should be close to that of the upperside of a holly leaf4 ,these heavily colored green birds are the pride and joy of many canary fanciers1 and the development of an ideal green is a real challenge to any fancier4 ,,plate #ac ,,ticked ,,buff ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,this lifelike portrayal shows exceptional feather detail and the ground color is excellent for a ,buff4 ,the wings and tail of the bird are unusually good2 the legs and feet very natural4 ,note the tick mark back of the eye4 ,,plate #ad ,,miniature ,,fawn ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,the body of this canary shows good conformation1 feathering1 and position4 ,the richness of the fawn coloring is little short of ideal4 ,on the perch1 a good ,border from eye to end of tail1 shows an angle of about #fj above horizontal4 ,a ,miniature ,border retains all of the form1 feathering and coloring of the ideal ,border but is smaller in size4 ,,plate #ae ,,cinnamon-,,marked ,,norwich ,,canary ,the effect of cinnamon blood is considered to be of great value by many breeders4 ,the standard for feathering is softness and silky texture with brilliancy and compactness4 ,the feathering of this bird is exceptional4 ,evenness and fine texture are characteristic of the cinnamon canary4 ,general form and position is close to the ideal4 ,,plate #af ,,plain ,,head ,,clear ,,buff ,,norwich ,,canary ,the bird shown is ideally formed and nicely balanced4 ,it is well up off the perch1 and its feathering is clean and smooth4 ,it is a natural color ,norwich 7not color fed7 and is particularly lifelike4 ,,plate #ag ,,colorfed ,,norwich ,,plain ,,head ,,canary ,the beautiful flame tint of this bird is accomplished by feeding special color food when new feathers are growing4 ,in the ideal ,norwich1 feathers are soft and silky with brilliancy and compactness1 and are deep1 bright1 rich1 pure and level in color4 ,,plate #ah ,,wing-,,marked ,,dark ,,crested ,,norwich ,,canary ,this spectacular bird is beautifully feathered as well as almost ideally formed4 ,the crest correctly covers eyes and beak and is exceptionally even4 ,crest bred birds generally possess longer feathers than plain head types and have a tendency toward looseness of feather1 hence the close feathering of this crested bird portrays the ideal4 ,,plate #ai ,,white ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,the erect fearlessness of the ,yorkshire type is shown here4 ,the feathering of this bird is excellent and its stance upon the perch is characteristic of this bold and alert canary4 ,note the long1 well-placed legs topped by slim thighs4 ,,plate #bj ,,clear ,,yellow ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,the ideal ,yorkshire ,canary is a favorite of fanciers all over the world4 ,it is a soldier-like bird with graceful outline1 bold and fearless expression1 and smart lines and movements4 ,,plate #ba ,,wing-,,marked ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,the stance of this canary is excellent4 ,note its tapering wedge shape which is a characteristic of the ,yorkshire ,canary ,club ideal4 ,,plate #bb ,,buff ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,the silky feathering of the ,buff canary is well developed in this specimen4 ,in ,buff feathering the yellow pigmentation does not extend down into the tips of the feathers4 ,as a result the bird is lighter in color and should have a frosted appearance across the shoulders4 ,,plate #bc ,,scotch ,,fancy ,,canary ,the ,scotch ,fancy was once extensively bred to develop this strange posture but is almost extinct today4 ,without doubt1 the unnatural formation of this type is the cause of its gradual disappearance4 ,the canary shown here was painted from one of the few remaining specimens and was imported directly from ,england for the purpose of making this illustration4 ,,plate #bd ,,lancashire ,,coppy ,,canary ,the ,lancashire ,coppy1 regrettably1 is also being bred much less extensively today4 ,it is an outstandingly large1 erect bird--a veritable giant compared to the average roller or chopper canary4 ,the difficulties faced by breeders of this type are many since the effort to produce increasingly large birds has led to considerable deterioration in other desirable characteristics1 such as feathering4 ,,plate #be ,,gloster ,,canary ,the ,gloster ,canary is a heavily crested bird1 much smaller than the ,norwich4 ,the crest itself comes down1 ideally1 almost level with the center of the eye4 ,the feathering of the specimen we show here is outstanding in quality because of its compactness and its fine texture4 ,,plate #bf ,,european ,,goldfinch ,the red face of this alert bird distinguishes it from other finches4 ,the goldfinch breeds freely in the aviary and is kept not only because of its own attractiveness1 but because it readily breeds with other finches1 including canaries4 ,,plate #bg ,,canary ,,and ,,european ,,goldfinch ,,cross ,this cross provides some very outstanding singers4 ,the goldfinch ancestry of this bird shows in its orange face and the traces of yellow wing bars4 ,its canary ancestry is evident in its beak1 posture and conformation4 ,,plate #bh ,,canary ,,and ,,european ,,linnet ,,cross ,the linnet is popular for breeding mules and hybrids because it is one of the most outstanding singers among our finches4 ,the effects of the linnet are especially clear in the coloring of the head1 back and wings of this lifelike illustration4 ,,plate #bi ,,male ,,venezuelan ,,black-,,hooded ,,red ,,siskin ,the canary and siskin cross was considered infertile for many years just as are many other canary hybrids4 ,fortunately it was discovered that these hybrids were sometimes fertile when crossed back with a canary1 furnishing a new incentive to thousands of canary fanciers now on the trail of both an all-red and an all-black canary4 ,today1 many fanciers believe that the introduction of the ,black-hooded ,red ,siskin's blood will provide the means of producing a red canary4 ,,plate #cj ,,female ,,venezuelan ,,black-,,hooded ,,red ,,siskin ,this attractive but much less lively colored other half of the ,black-hooded ,red ,siskin will also produce fertile canary hybrids4 ,the female siskin illustrates very well the dimorphic colorations common to many wild birds1 being slightly orange in many of the areas showing deepest red in the male ,black-hooded ,red ,siskin4 ,these siskins are considerably smaller than even very small canaries1 and they have an unattractive wild song4 ,as might be expected1 their coloring1 size1 and song characteristics are transmitted to the hybrids resulting from crossing with the canary4 ,the fancier1 through selective breeding back to desirable canary stock1 endeavors to eliminate the unwanted siskin characteristics and at the same time retain the effect of the red coloring which produces many shades of apricot1 orange and copper4 ,,plate #ca ,,mahogany ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #a,,st ,,cross ,the canary and siskin hybrid is always a very dark bird and usually small in size4 ,depending on the depth of color they are usually called a copper1 bronze1 or mahogany4 ,when these hybrids are mated back to pure canary stock1 the chicks obtained are called second cross and generally have a much more attractive appearance4 ,,plate #cb ,,orange-,,cinnamon ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #b,,nd ,,cross ,the deep orange coloring of this second cross hybrid was obtained from a fertile canary and siskin first cross that was mated back to canary stock carrying some cinnamon blood4 ,the orange tint has little1 if any1 tendency to fade and is often as bright as that temporarily obtained through color feeding4 ,in a second cross bird such as this1 the siskin heritage is usually very noticeable in the song4 ,,plate #cc ,,apricot ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #c,,rd ,,cross ,when the second cross canary and siskin is mated back to pure canary stock again1 the apricot coloring is one of the possible results4 ,this bird illustrates the way in which the ,red ,siskin coloring has been diluted and evenly spread throughout4 ,the apricot stock is used by breeders in crossing with unrelated hybrid stock in order to intensify desired coloring1 form1 feathering1 and size characteristics as well as to further introduce the color to type birds such as ,border ,fancies4 ,,plate #cd ,,frosted ,,pink ,,chopper ,,canary ,the frosted pink canary is usually considerably removed from the first canary and siskin cross and it represents much progress4 ,many fanciers are concentrating on this pink coloration rather than the deep orange colorings in their work toward producing the red canary4 ,,plate #ce ,,dilute ,,hen ,,chopper ,,canary ,the dilute factor was discovered by accident some years ago by a fancier keen enough to recognize something of its potential value4 ,when this factor is present it dilutes by graying or thinning out otherwise standard colors4 ,if it were not for this dilute factor in the bird illustrated1 the cinnamon markings and the yellow would have been noticeably deeper in color4 ,,plate #cf ,illustration3 ,,plate #a ,,yellow ,,roller ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #b ,,yellow ,,chopper ,,in ,,song ,illustration3 ,,plate #c ,,variegated ,,yellow ,,roller ,,in ,,song ,illustration3 ,,plate #d ,,green ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #e ,,variegated ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #f ,,cinnamon ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #g ,,blue ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #h ,,white ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #i ,,fawn ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #aj ,,clear ,,cap ,,gold ,,lizard ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #aa ,,clear ,,cap ,,silver ,,lizard ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ab ,,yellow ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ac ,,yellow-,,green ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ad ,,ticked ,,buff ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ae ,,miniature ,,fawn ,,border ,,fancy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #af ,,cinnamon-,,marked ,,norwich ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ag ,,plain ,,head ,,clear ,,buff ,,norwich ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ah ,,colorfed ,,norwich ,,plain ,,head ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ai ,,wing-,,marked ,,dark ,,crested ,,norwich ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bj ,,white ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #ba ,,clear ,,yellow ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bb ,,wing-,,marked ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bc ,,buff ,,yorkshire ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bd ,,scotch ,,fancy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #be ,,lancashire ,,coppy ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bf ,,gloster ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #bg ,,european ,,goldfinch ,illustration3 ,,plate #bh ,,canary ,,and ,,european ,,goldfinch ,,cross ,illustration3 ,,plate #bi ,,canary ,,and ,,european ,,linnet ,,cross ,illustration3 ,,plate #cj ,,male ,,venezuelan ,,black-,,hooded ,,red ,,siskin ,illustration3 ,,plate #ca ,,female ,,venezuelan ,,black-,,hooded ,,red ,,siskin ,illustration3 ,,plate #cb ,,mahogany ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #a,,st ,,cross ,illustration3 ,,plate #cc ,,orange-,,cinnamon ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #b,,nd ,,cross ,illustration3 ,,plate #cd ,,apricot ,,canary ,,and ,,siskin #c,,rd ,,cross ,illustration3 ,,plate #ce ,,frosted ,,pink ,,chopper ,,canary ,illustration3 ,,plate #cf ,,dilute ,,hen ,,chopper ,,canary ,breeding ,information ,illustration3 ,frenchy ,,selecting ,,the ,,birds ,the chances are you already own one of the birds you plan to use for breeding4 ,for best prospects the male should be healthy and sleek1 a good singer1 and between twelve months and four years old4 ,the hen should also be healthy and sleek1 from one to five years old1 and should differ from the cock bird in coloring4 ,for example1 with the cock a yellow1 the hen could be a lighter colored buff1 or vice versa4 ,pair yellow and buff1 green and white1 cinnamon and white1 yellow and green1 and so on4 ,your hens should be vigorous and if not overbred 7used for more than two nests the previous season7 it is a good thing to use those with proved capacity on your first attempt4 ,most breeders allow the hens to have flying exercise daily4 ,for this purpose a flight cage or room is best1 and if you intend to mate several pairs1 it is a good investment4 ,its size can depend on the space available4 ,a very useful flying cage is four feet long1 two feet high1 and one-and-a-half to two feet deep4 ,place the seed at one end1 the water at the other1 and keep the perches widely spaced in order to insure exercise4 ,smaller flights can be used satisfactorily1 and if a spare room is available its whole area can be used4 ,many successful breeders use attic space divided into flight rooms with hardware cloth and screen doors4 ,the floor of each flight room is covered with gravel4 ,,breeding ,,cages ,,and ,,nests ,one of the best breeding cages for canaries is metal1 box-shaped1 with two sliding partitions in the middle1 one of regular cage wire1 the other of sheet metal4 ,it is about twenty-four inches long1 eleven inches high and eleven inches deep4 ,the bottom and tray are removable1 and there are sliding doors in the front of each compartment4 ,in addition1 there should be a swinging door in the upper rear corner of each end4 ,nests are hung in the corners by these doors1 so that the top of the nest is about one inch higher than the perch4 ,the nesting material should consist of specially prepared nesting hair1 moss1 shredded burlap1 short pieces of string or such material4 ,line the nests with warm cloth pads4 ,use two when necessary4 ,sew the pads to the nest using short stitches inside and long outside to prevent the hen from catching her feet in the stitches4 ,as a precaution1 dust the lining thoroughly with insect powder4 ,we shall be glad to supply plans for home built breeding cages1 flight cages1 and outside aviaries on request4 ,write us what you have in mind4 ,,early ,,season ,,chores ,select a shielded location for the breeding cage4 ,wild birds seek seclusion and privacy when they nest1 and will often leave the nest and eggs entirely if disturbed1 and relocate in a better hiding place4 ,although canaries have been bred in cages for hundreds of years1 this tendency to desert the nest and nestlings persists4 ,the breeding cage should have a solid foundation and the perches should be tried individually to be sure that they are steady and firm4 ,provide a flashlight for the breeding room4 ,it will come in handy for brief nighttime checkups on the birds2 for removing the male1 which is best done at night2 and for candling the eggs after the hen has been setting for about six days4 ,provide a small cardboard box half filled with a dry cereal such as corn meal1 or with cotton4 ,this receptacle is for the first few eggs and its use is explained in the paragraph ,round ,one4 ,another early season chore is to secure three or four dummy canary eggs4 ,such dummy eggs can be purchased from pet dealers1 but a small ,,vulgar ,,fraction ,,three ,,eighths,,double ,,prime diameter marble or wooden ball will suffice4 ,their use is also explained under ,round ,one4 ,,getting ,,the ,,birds ,,ready ,early in ,january the birds should have their nails trimmed1 if overlong1 to prevent punctured eggs or accidental harm to the nestlings4 ,allow the hen as much flying exercise as possible4 ,if you have no flight cage1 the added exercise she will get in the breeding cage1 with the partitions removed1 will be helpful4 ,in early ,february the regular seed diet should be supplemented with egg food4 ,this is prepared by sieving a #cj-minute boiled egg and mixing with toasted bread crumbs etc41 to a crumbly consistency4 ,see ,egg ,food in ,general ,care section4 ,a little poppy seed sprinkled over the portion given each bird is beneficial4 ,a daily teaspoonful of this mixture for each bird is sufficient until the early part of ,march4 ,about once a week scatter a little ground oyster shell on the cage floor with the gravel1 and keep a cuttle bone in the cage at all times4 ,a few tender dandelion leaves1 when procurable1 are relished once a week4 ,some breeders like to use freshly sprouted seed at the stage when the sprout is a quarter of an inch long or less and also greens they raise themselves from the regular bird seed mixture4 ,the early part of ,january is a good time to practice raising these greens4 ,just be sure that there is no evidence of mold growth on the sprouted seed when it is fed4 ,small diameter perches for the chicks just weaned can be secured in advance4 ,a visit to your shrubs or grape arbor will easily provide a handful of suitable length perches of moderately rough surface1 from ,,double ,,prime to ,,vulgar ,,fraction ,,three ,,eighths,,double ,,prime in diameter4 ,starting about the first of ,march a little niger seed should be given the hen in a treat cup two or three times weekly4 ,this oily seed should help prevent egg binding4 ,at this time both the solid and wire partitions can be put back in the breeding cage1 and the cock changed to his half of the cage4 ,,the ,,mating ,at mating time the hen is lively and alert and will usually call loudly4 ,the cock will sing lustily and dance on the perch with lowered wings while singing4 ,when these signs occur1 remove the solid partition1 leaving the wire partition in place4 ,when you see the cock feeding the hen through the bars1 remove the wire too1 and let the birds run together4 ,they may quarrel for a short while1 but will soon become devoted4 ,place the lined nest in the cage along with a little nesting material4 ,,round ,,one--,,the ,,first ,,nest ,do not be in a hurry for the hen to lay4 ,she will produce her egg at her own time and no sooner4 ,as soon as it is laid1 take it out of the nest with a teaspoon and place it in the small box you prepared earlier1 replacing it with a dummy egg4 ,remove the second egg likewise4 ,turn the removed eggs daily4 ,as a general rule an egg is laid every morning until a clutch of from four to six eggs is completed4 ,there are occasions when a hen will produce only two or three eggs to a clutch1 and many times she will skip a day between eggs4 ,when the third egg is laid1 remove the dummy egg1 dust the nest again with insect powder1 and place the other eggs back in the nest4 ,the evening is a good time to do this4 ,when the hen takes to her nest entirely1 separate the cock and hen by replacing the wire partition4 ,the hen's bath should be withheld for the first eleven days she sits4 ,on the sixth day you should candle the eggs4 ,cut an oval hole slightly smaller than the dimension of an egg in the bottom of a small cardboard box1 and place an egg on the hole4 ,from beneath1 shine your flashlight through the egg4 ,if the egg is clear it is infertile1 but if slightly red with a dark spot it is fertile4 ,if the eggs are all clear remove them and the nest1 and after a few days start over1 letting the cock run with the hen again4 ,if there are fertile eggs1 place them back in the nest1 where the hen will continue through the setting period1 which is fourteen days from the day she took to the nest steadily4 ,after the eleventh day allow her to bathe daily as the moisture from her feathers tends to soften the egg shells and is an aid to the chicks in picking their way through4 ,when the hen takes to the nest1 it is a good plan1 because of her inactivity1 to restrict her diet somewhat--particularly the egg food and greens4 ,she will likely leave much of this anyway1 and she should never take any that has soured1 as she may do if it is left in the cage partly uneaten all day4 ,,after ,,the ,,hatching ,upon hatching1 egg food should be given three times a day in addition to the regular seed mixture4 ,the first feeding each day should be given as early in the morning as possible4 ,see ,egg ,food under ,general ,care4 ,fresh greens may be fed daily4 ,newly hatched youngsters require very small amounts of food4 ,feed little and often1 is a good rule to follow4 ,you will soon be able to judge the amount1 bearing in mind that quantity should be increased as the youngsters grow4 ,when the nestlings are about six days old their eyes will have opened1 and when they are around ten days old the partition can be withdrawn and the cock allowed to rejoin the hen4 ,however1 if the hen is not feeding the young as she should1 or if she doesn't stay on the nest sufficiently to keep the chicks warm1 the cock should be allowed to return at once4 ,many successful breeders prepare soaked seed for morning and evening feedings for the hen and nestlings from hatching time to six weeks later4 ,prepare by putting a little of your regular seed mixture to soak at the morning feeding4 ,then1 at the evening feeding1 stir this well1 strain1 and put to soak again in fresh water4 ,on the following morning1 stir1 rinse in fresh water1 strain1 dry1 and this soaked seed is ready to use4 ,soaked seed for the evening feed is started each evening1 strained1 put to soak again each morning1 and in the evening strained1 rinsed1 dried between paper towels1 and fed4 ,soaked seed often does wonders for a nonfeeding hen1 and it is valuable for chicks after they are separated from the hen4 ,as the birds gain in age1 gradually increase the seed proportion and cut down soft foods1 until they are about six weeks old4 ,at this age they are able to crack their own seeds1 and the regular ,french's ,bird ,seed and ,biscuit may be given them together with feedings of egg food about three times a week until they have completed their moult4 ,,the ,,second ,,round ,between sixteen and twenty-one days after the hatching1 the hen will probably show signs of wanting to go to nest again4 ,place the second nest in the opposite corner of the cage1 and stuff bits of fresh nesting material between the cage bars near the new nest4 ,be sure that enough is allowed1 otherwise she will pull feathers out of the young birds4 ,when the hen lays her first egg1 it should be removed as before1 and ,round ,one repeated4 ,as soon as she takes to her second nest entirely1 the chicks from ,round ,one and the cock should be moved to the other half of the cage1 and separated from the hen by the wire partition4 ,although a very vigorous hen and a good feeding cock can hatch three or four nests in a season1 best results are had by not allowing more than two4 ,if the nesting is finished early in ,june1 the parents and chicks will be in condition for the moult in late summer4 ,the added strain of more than two nests will likely make the birds unreliable for breeding the following season4 ,,do ,,not ,,be ,,surprised ,,if --,a nestling falls out of the nest the first few days4 ,when this happens pick up the young bird and warm it in your hands for a few minutes and then1 if it is alive1 place it back in the nest4 --,one or more of the eggs do not hatch1 though fertile4 ,sometimes a chick is too weak to pick through the shell which may be unusually hard due to excessive dryness if the hen does not bathe4 ,should many of the eggs turn out this way1 put a few teaspoonfuls of common salt1 or even rock salt in the bottom of the nest pan1 below the lining1 as this will attract 7and retain7 moisture from the air4 ,there are many other reasons why fertile eggs do not hatch1 most of them indicating a weakness in the embryo4 ,however1 one of the most common causes is chilling of the eggs due to the hen leaving the nest for too long a time4 ,a sudden cold spell may have the same effect4 --,one or more of the hatchlings are found dead in the nest4 ,remove at once4 ,accidental smothering or crushing by the hen is likely the cause1 or if the eggs hatch out over a period of two or three days1 the first hatchlings may be getting practically all the food4 ,that is why you should remove the first two eggs1 so that all hatch as nearly as possible at the same time4 --,the hen you are expecting to lay again is found crouching in a corner of the cage1 trembling and quite apparently in severe pain4 ,she is probably suffering from egg-binding1 and must be attended to at once4 ,take the hen very gently in your hand1 and put three or four drops of olive oil in her beak4 ,carefully place her back in the cage1 and after a short time the egg will be passed safely4 --,the sweating hen problem occurs4 ,her breast feathers will have a moist appearance leading one to believe that she is sweating4 ,what actually happens is that the hen loses condition1 probably as the result of eating food that is sour1 stale1 or too sloppy1 and this is passed on to the baby chicks4 ,diarrhoea results4 ,normally during the first week or so1 the excreta from the young is expelled in a tiny transparent bag which the hen picks up in one piece when cleaning the nest4 ,being unable to do this if the young have diarrhoea1 her feathers become sticky and matted4 --,the hen starts picking feathers from the backs of the ,round ,one chicks to provide nesting for the second nest even though ample nesting material is supplied4 ,when this happens separate the cock and the chicks from the hen1 using the wire partition4 ,,the ,,non-,,feeding ,,hen ,it is normal for a hen to stop feeding her babies when she takes to her second nest of eggs4 ,the cock bird can usually be depended upon to continue the job4 ,however1 a hen sometimes stops feeding at an earlier time1 often because of an upset condition resulting from improper feeding--or from a fright4 ,such things as stale or soured soft foods1 food deficiencies1 or lack of sufficient fresh green food are most often the root of the trouble1 although overfat and lazy hens sometimes seem to find proper feeding too much trouble4 ,try allowing the cock to carry on alone1 giving the hen normal feeding until she resumes her duty4 ,when the chicks are not being fed by either bird1 it is advisable to divide the nestlings among the other nests if you have other pairs with chicks about the same age4 ,otherwise1 handfeeding is imperative4 ,chew either ,pablum or oat flakes and when mushy1 feed it to the babies from the end of a toothpick4 ,in a day or two the parents may resume feedings4 ,should they not1 the chewed food will have to be supplemented with greens1 egg yolk1 and after the chicks are ten days old1 a little soft cuttle bone scraped from the soft side of the bone sprinkled over the mush4 ,a few grains of table salt should also be added4 ,if a chick is out of the nest1 it is likely to be afraid and refuse to open its beak for food4 ,take such a bird in your left hand1 pry open the beak with the right thumb nail and hold it open with the nails of your left thumb and forefinger4 ,avoid injury either to the bird's eyes or through too firm a hold4 ,keep the head elevated for easy swallowing and feed from a toothpick4 ,always feed warm food4 ,a little milk sop from toasted whole wheat bread makes a good change4 ,the babies usually will begin to feed themselves a few days after leaving the nest and can then be given moist nestling food1 sprouted rape seeds1 and cracked seeds prepared from regular ,french's ,bird ,seed4 7,continued on page #fd7 ,a ,canary ,family ,illustration3 #a4 ,mating time1 canaries wooing ,illustration3 #b4 ,the female builds her nest ,illustration3 #c4 ,the eggs are laid ,illustration3 #d4 ,hatching process begins ,illustration3 #e4 ,mother bird feeds new-born babies ,illustration3 #f4 ,the babies now #h days old ,illustration3 #g4 ,fourteen days old ,illustration3 #h4 ,twenty-one days old 7,continued from page #ei7 ,,slip ,,claw ,in slip claw the bird is unable to grasp the perch normally because the back claw is bent forward between the front claws4 ,treat by binding the affected claw back against the shank of the leg with adhesive tape4 ,let the binding remain for a week to ten days1 but be sure that it is not so tight as to stop circulation4 ,,color ,,bred ,,canaries ,ever since it was discovered some years ago that the hybrid chicks resulting from crossing the canary and the ,south ,american ,black-hooded ,red ,siskin were sometimes fertile when bred back to canaries and that this crossing could produce a natural red tint in the canary feathering1 there has been much experimentation by breeders all over the world in an endeavor to produce an all red canary4 ,to date some beautiful tints of orange1 copper1 and pink have been produced and a truly red canary seems a possibility4 ,this discovery of a fertile hybrid has proved a major contribution to canary breeding1 and breeders today are reexamining some of the other crosses between canaries and related wild birds for fertility4 ,for the amateur who has gained a degree of proficiency in handling canaries1 there is hardly a more fascinating phase of the hobby4 ,we welcome questions from those who undertake this work4 ,,distinguishing ,,the ,,sex ,,of ,,canaries ,we have seen many experts sex canaries1 and have come to the conclusion that the best proof that a canary is a hen occurs when she produces an egg1 and likewise1 that her companion is a male1 if the egg is fertile4 ,however1 there are many other characteristics associated with the sex differences of canaries4 ,for example1 the cock canary3 #a4 ,sings #b4 ,has a bolder eye and look about the head #c4 ,when in breeding condition in the spring1 has an elevated vent which definitely protrudes like a wart4 ,the hen canary1 by contrast1 #a4 ,does not sing #b4 ,is not so bold about the eye and head #c4 ,has a flat1 unelevated vent4 ,these characteristics are all subject to exceptions4 ,we find good males that do not sing1 good hens that do sing2 males of one strain having a female appearance about the head when compared with hens of a heavy strain of birds1 and vice versa4 ,there are also cases where the vent areas of both male and female are very similar except when in breeding condition4 ,errors are most likely when a breeder sexes spring hatched canaries in the fall4 ,the breeder will separate the observed singers from the non-singers1 as male and female4 ,then he goes through the non-singers for some indication in the appearance of the head or vent area1 and makes a further tentative separation4 ,such division can only be moderately reliable1 because only a few strongly sexed young males tend to come into breeding condition early4 ,an error of as much as #be is not unusual in fall sexing4 ,for your guidance a good indication of a young male canary is that he sings with a noticeable swelling of the throat4 ,from ,january and ,february on through ,june the male in breeding condition will have a noticeably raised vent as well as strong song4 ,in pairing birds it may be expected that any male in breeding condition will pair with any female in breeding condition1 providing there is not a very great difference in size4 ,canary ,accidents ,and ,illnesses ,illustration3 ,frenchy ,with good food and care1 and barring accident1 there is no reason why a healthy canary from healthy parents should live less than a normal span of #ab to #ad years before old age causes a breakdown4 ,the ailing singer is not difficult to pick out4 ,usually the first sign is that he stops singing4 ,whether the bird is cock or hen1 a sudden change from its normal sleek appearance and lively action bears immediate study4 ,,baldness ,when two crested canaries are bred together some of the chicks will be permanently bald4 ,another cause1 apparently1 is the tendency for some birds to constantly rub their heads against the perch or bars of the cage4 ,this condition is sometimes accompanied1 or perhaps caused by the presence of lice4 ,sometimes baldness is caused by an incomplete moult1 the lost feathers not having been replaced during the regular moulting season4 ,sometimes severe changes in the weather during the moult1 or food deficiency during the moult is the cause of incomplete feather growth4 ,there is no treatment for inherited baldness4 ,if lice or mites are present1 treat the bird as indicated under ,mites4 ,see that the bird has a normal seed diet with plenty of greens1 a cuttle bone in the cage1 plus egg food and moulting food two or three times each week4 ,allow the bird to exercise as much as possible1 and there is a good chance that during the next regular moult the feathers will return4 ,,blindness ,there is no cure for blindness4 ,we have known birds to be totally blind for months before the condition was observed by the owner4 ,there is apparently no pain1 and blind birds sometimes sing freely4 ,however1 they move about very little1 and while the variety and balance of their diet must be maintained1 they should not be fed as much as normal birds4 ,,broken ,,bones ,wing1 upper leg1 and toe breaks should be allowed to heal with no assistance other than seeing that the bird is not disturbed4 ,breaks in the lower leg can often be set and splinted successfully with thin cotton padding on the leg and pieces of toothpicks bound snugly with cotton thread1 but not so tightly as to cut off circulation4 ,always remove the swing and all high perches from the cage1 and arrange food and water so that the bird can get at them with as little movement as possible4 ,,broken ,,feathers ,when tail and flight feathers are broken1 they will grow in again at once if they are carefully pulled out4 ,if it is near the regular moulting season1 it is advisable to let them be shed naturally4 ,,chills ,,and ,,colds ,a chill or a cold in a canary is recognized by the bird sneezing and sitting with its feathers puffed up4 ,sometimes there is hoarseness1 and if the nasal discharge is very heavy there may be complete loss of voice1 temporarily4 ,the cold will usually work itself off if the bird is given reasonable care4 ,sometimes1 however1 if the bird is in a more or less rundown condition and the infection is strong1 a more serious condition such as pneumonia will result quickly4 ,keep the bird free from drafts1 and locate the cage where the temperature is as even as possible and warm rather than cold4 ,return to a regular diet with plenty of green foods4 ,if the room cools off at night1 cover the cage and avoid awakening the pet at night4 ,test for the presence of mites4 ,if some are found1 treat as directed under ,mites4 ,observe the droppings and make adjustments in the food if they are not normal as explained under ,constipation and ,diarrhoea below4 ,in addition to ten drops of ,french's ,iron ,compound in the drinking water daily1 feed a teaspoonful of egg food1 fresh each day4 ,,constipation ,,and ,,diarrhoea ,constipation is a digestive disturbance usually caused by feeding an insufficient quantity of green foods4 ,the correction is to give a variety of green foods1 including sprouted seed1 regularly4 ,lettuce1 sweet apple1 ,chickweed1 watercress1 and dandelion are beneficial4 ,green food should always be crisp1 clean and fresh4 ,when a bird is being fed generous amounts of fresh green foods1 the natural result will be more liquid droppings4 ,this should not be confused with diarrhoea1 a condition in which the droppings are usually excessively watery4 ,there are many possible causes for diarrhoea4 ,the diet itself may be unnatural for the bird1 or it may be inadequate to the seasonal needs of the bird4 ,for example1 in the breeding and moulting seasons freshly prepared egg food should be given4 ,diarrhoea may also be merely an accompaniment of an active disease4 ,the bird should be kept warm4 ,a change of diet will usually afford relief4 ,temporarily1 eliminate rich and stimulating foods from the diet4 ,supply as much of the following mixture daily as the bird will eat3 #a slice whole wheat bread #c tablespoons steel-cut oats or ,quick ,mother's ,oats #a teaspoon poppy seed #a teaspoon scraped cuttle bone ,toast bread until thoroughly brown on both sides and quite dry inside4 ,then crush it to small seed size particles and add the remaining ingredients4 ,give buttermilk or tea in place of drinking water for #c or #d days4 ,if the disorder persists1 or if the droppings are off-color and evil smelling1 write us for further guidance1 describing the conditions and what you have done4 ,,cutting ,,beak ,,and ,,claws ,overgrown nails and claws should be trimmed1 using a sharp nail clipper or small nail scissors4 ,in the case of the beak1 just trim off the overhang--to a point1 if possible4 ,it is usually only the larger rear and the middle front nails that become overgrown4 ,holding the claw up to the light1 cut between the end of the nail and the red vein4 ,there will be no bleeding unless you accidentally cut into the vein1 in which case touch the end of the claw with a styptic pencil or a spot of iodine4 ,,fits--,,paroxysms ,fright1 sudden chills or overexposure to hot sunlight may upset a bird severely4 ,when no more than fainting is involved1 a few drops of water sprinkled on the bird's head will bring it around1 after which see that it is allowed quiet1 and treat it with extreme gentleness4 ,under other conditions1 a bird may suddenly drop off his perch1 unconscious1 in the midst of a song or other normal activity4 ,in these cases the cause is usually quite different1 and no treatment other than correct diet can be offered4 ,the pet may survive one or two such attacks and live for years afterward4 ,,loss ,,of ,,song ,fright1 poor health1 or loss of sexual vigor are generally the cause of loss of song4 ,sudden fright is one of the chief causes and may occur through the cage being accidentally upset1 or an attack by a cat4 ,some aviary birds are so lacking in contact with people that they seem severely frightened if a stranger approaches closely4 ,be gentle with canaries and endeavor to protect them from such frights4 ,the loss of song may last from a day or so to several weeks1 but it can usually be overcome through playing the radio or phonograph4 ,sometimes the noise of a vacuum cleaner provides the stimulation needed4 ,poor health is indicated when a cold has persisted for several weeks1 when feathers are shed out of season1 when the digestive system is upset1 when the bird is overfat1 or when the bird is troubled with mites or sore feet4 ,treat for such ailments first1 and then provide the song stimuli as mentioned above4 ,song is a strong secondary sexual characteristic of the normal male canary4 ,old or weakly sexed males usually do not sing as often or as vigorously as normal males1 even though in perfect health4 ,when a canary has never sung1 there is always the possibility that it is a normal hen and will never do so4 ,hen canaries have been known to inherit rather strong male characteristics and to sing frequently but usually without the vigor and fullness characteristic of normal males4 ,when a canary is apparently in good health and all other stimuli have failed to secure the return of song1 try placing a good singing canary in an adjoining room where it can be heard but not seen by the silent bird4 ,,mites ,there are many different kinds of mites and lice which live on birds as their natural hosts4 ,the biting grey lice live on the scales of the bird's skin1 feet and legs1 or upon its feathers4 ,red mites suck the blood of the host and generally leave the bird in daylight and return to it at night4 ,the biting lice seldom leave the bird1 and are most difficult to find4 ,they are sometimes removed when the bird combs out his feathers with his beak4 ,red mites are more easily located4 ,place a white cloth over the cage at night1 and if the mites are present1 they will be found as little red specks on the cloth in the morning4 ,run a hot iron over the cloth to destroy them4 ,lice cause discomfort and weaken the bird4 ,the one rule to follow in correcting the condition is routine and complete cleanliness4 ,dismantle the cage and stand1 and scrub every part thoroughly with a hot1 strong suds4 ,dust the bird with a good lice powder and see that it is allowed to bathe regularly4 ,this program may not rid the bird of lice completely or all at once1 but it will keep the number of lice below the danger point4 ,in aviaries where many birds are housed in a special room1 a poultry type spraying technique can be used effectively along with regular cleaning practice4 ,we will be glad to make suggestions if you write us about your specific problem4 ,,moulting--,,loss ,,of ,,feathers ,it is normal for a bird to replace its feathers with new growth each year4 ,moulting usually starts in ,july1 but the actual date may vary in different climates4 ,a complete moult may take about three months4 ,it is not a disease1 but the drain on the vitality of the bird requires that he be given particular care and special supplementary feeding4 ,the first symptoms to be noticed are a general lassitude and drowsiness followed in a few days by a loose feather or two on the floor of the cage4 ,in order that this normal yearly occurrence will proceed as uneventfully as possible1 we suggest the following procedure3 ,keep a ,french's ,bird ,biscuit and ,cuttle ,bone in the cage at all times1 and add eight to ten drops of ,french's ,iron ,compound to the drinking water occasionally4 ,by way of supplemental feeding1 add about teaspoonful of either flaxseeds or niger seeds to the ,french's ,bird ,seed daily4 ,two or three times a week give a portion of hard cooked egg that has been mixed with toasted bread crumbs1 etc41 see under ,egg ,food1 in ,general ,care section4 ,about half a teaspoonful should be sufficient with each feeding4 ,in addition1 feed ,french's ,moulting ,food in place of ,french's ,song ,food two or three times a week and continue the cultivated and wild green foods4 ,it is normal for most males to lose their song during the moult4 ,they usually start singing again within a few weeks after the new feathers appear4 ,when song is first resumed the adult bird may sing much like a baby bird4 ,however1 the volume should increase to its full capacity within a short time4 ,spring hatched canaries going through their first moult usually shed only the soft body feathers4 ,only after a canary is a year old does it shed the tail and wing feathers as well as the body feathers4 ,birds have been known to skip the entire moult and apparently be none the worse for it4 ,also1 some canaries continue to sing right through the whole process1 with no interruption4 ,loss of feathers at other than the regular moult indicates a weakened condition and is not normal or desirable4 ,sometimes referred to as soft moult1 this condition may be due to interruptions of the bird's sleep when a light in the room is turned on and off at night4 ,wrong feeding is an important cause1 and keeping the bird in a hot1 steamy atmosphere will also lead to this trouble4 ,feed freshly made egg food1 as above1 daily for two weeks or so1 and place ,french's ,iron ,compound in its drinking water 7#aj drops daily7 for the same period4 ,see that the cage location is changed if it is in a room that is too warm1 even for brief periods1 as is usual in a kitchen4 ,the cage should also be moved if it is where the bird might be disturbed several times during the night4 ,examine for lice and make sure that mice are not keeping your bird awake by climbing into his cage for seed and water4 ,,nervous ,,tics ,cage birds sometimes develop annoying habits as a result of excess energy and playfulness4 ,they may get in the habit of tugging at the paper on the cage floor2 or if they have a band on their leg1 they will sometimes pick at it until their leg becomes very sore4 ,ridding a bird of such annoying or harmful habits will be a good test of your ingenuity4 ,in the case of a leg band1 the easiest thing to do is to remove the band4 ,a change in the location of the cage might help4 ,sometimes a new cage of different shape or color will turn the trick4 ,some owners allow their birds the freedom of a whole room and this usually is beneficial--providing windows and doors are kept shut4 ,,obesity ,when a canary eats more than it requires for energy1 some of the excess eventually accumulates as fat4 ,birds differ individually in the amount of food necessary4 ,some do much better in a large cage where they have more chance for exercise and all birds benefit by free flying4 ,a bird usually eats from daylight to dark and in some homes lights out comes rather late4 ,try to let the bird keep a natural day1 dawn to dusk1 and if he is to be kept awake during the evening1 cover his cage part of the day4 ,,sore ,,eyes ,sore and inflamed eyes or lids should be treated with #b yellow oxide of mercury ointment1 obtainable from your druggist in a long necked metal tube4 ,squeeze a tiny amount beneath each lid and wipe the excess on the outside of the lids4 ,cover the perches with a wrap of soft cloth tied in place in order to prevent irritation when the bird rubs its eyes on the perch4 ,,sore ,,feet ,,and ,,legs ,as with many conditions that differ from normal1 sore feet and legs are generally only the end result of conditions which may have no apparent connection4 ,however1 if the cage and perches are not kept clean1 if the bird does not bathe regularly1 or if the perches are the wrong size or are coated with gravel1 it becomes necessary to correct these obvious errors in management4 ,when a bird is ailing it will often refuse its bath1 and its feet are likely to become quite dirty4 ,the corrective measure here is to put the bird on a normal seed and green food diet with rich additions such as egg food only during the moulting and breeding seasons4 ,in older birds1 scales on the legs and toes will very often build up rather than slough off1 causing an unsightly and sometimes a painful condition4 ,these can be softened with a little olive oil and gently removed without injury to the bird4 ,heavy callouses on the bottom of a bird's feet may be due to improper perching or to a fungus growth4 ,in hot1 humid climates the latter is a possibility1 and it is suggested that you ask your druggist for a small amount of one of the new fungicides for trial4 ,perches should be made of soft wood and should never be gravel coated4 ,if the sore feet are accompanied by overgrown claws it may be that a joint was strained due to the claw catching somewhere in the cage4 ,the remedy1 of course1 is to keep the claws properly trimmed4 ,,wheezing ,wheezing in a canary is not an uncommon disorder and is usually due to the effects of a cold4 ,it may also be due to an overfat condition4 ,if either of these conditions are present1 treat as indicated4 ,otherwise1 write us giving full details4 ,if you have a particular canary problem not fully covered in these pages1 write to us explaining in detail what the problem is1 what you are doing for your canary1 and what you have been feeding him4 ,we will send you our best advice without cost or obligation4 ,please enclose stamp for reply4 ,address3 ,bird1 ,the ,r4 ,t4 ,french ,company1 ,rochester #i1 ,n4 ,y4 ,index ,b ,baldness #ff ,bathing #aj ,bird gravel #i ,blindness #ff ,breeding cages and nests #ee ,breeding problems #eh ,broken bones #fg ,broken feathers #fg ,buying a canary #e ,c ,cage #f ,cage care #g ,cats #aa ,chills and colds #fg ,color bred canaries #fd ,color feeding #aj ,constipation #fg ,cutting beak and claws #fh ,d ,dainties #h ,diarrhoea #fg ,e ,egg-binding #ei ,egg food #aj ,escaped bird #aa ,exercise and play #aa ,f ,first nest #eg ,fits--paroxysms #fh ,g ,green food #i ,i ,insect food #aj ,l ,loss of song #fh ,m ,mating #eg ,mice #ab ,mites #fi ,moulting--loss of feathers #fi ,n ,nervous tics #gj ,nestlings1 care of #eg ,non-feeding hen #ei ,o ,obesity #gj ,p ,perches #f ,s ,second nest #eh ,selecting birds for breeding #ee ,sexing canaries #fd ,shipping a canary #ab ,slip claw #fd ,soft moult #gj ,sore eyes #gj ,sore feet and legs #gj ,sweating hen #ei ,t ,taming a canary #ab ,v ,vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two ,supplement #g ,w ,wheezing #ga ,wild seeds #i ,form ,no4 ,a-#a-ea ,help ,your ,friends ,get ,this ,colorful ,book ,when your friends see this fascinating book1 they'll want copies too4 ,all ,about ,your ,canary makes a wonderful gift for pet lovers of all ages4 ,give the coupons below to your friends1 or use them yourself to make gift ordering easy4 ,illustration3 ,,now ,,with ,,vitamin ,b-#ab ,,supplement ,,bird ,,seed ,french's ,bird ,seed and ,biscuit with vitamin ,b,,subscript ,,one,,subscript ,,two supplement--helps keep canaries healthy1 happy1 full of song4 ,,bird ,,gravel ,canaries need teeth to grind food in their gizzards4 ,french's ,bird ,gravel--washed1 uniform quartz--is the perfect answer4 ,transcriber's ,notes --,retained publication information from the printed edition3 this e,book is public-domain in the country of publication4 --,provided additional bibliographic information based on copyright research4 --,silently corrected a few palpable typos4 --,in the text versions only1 text in italics is delimited by underscores4