attacks canaries. It is not the rule
by any means that canaries should be thus troubled--many escape--but
it may happen. If you cannot account for the bird's despondency in any
other way, catch it and look at its skin under the feathers of the
breast and the under part of the wings. If there are little red spots,
it means that the red mites have found out the cage, and you must wash
the bird every day with a weak solution of white precipitate
powder--about twelve grains to a small glass of warm water--and either
wash the cage too with a stronger solution, or, if it is a wooden one,
destroy it. Now and then you ought to clip their claws, if they seem
too long.

The Love-Birds

The love-birds feed almost entirely on millet or canary seed, and they
like a sod of grass in their cage. They are bright little birds, but
are naturally very wild and need much petting if you wish to tame
them. Once tamed, however, they are very confiding and amusing.

The Cardinal

One of the most beautiful of cage-birds is the red-crested cardinal.
He is quite hardy and eats seeds and insects impartially, thriving on
canary, millet, and a little hemp-seed, with meal-worms now and then.
He should always have a very large cage, or he will spoil his plumage.
His song is sweet and strong.

Wax-Bills

Wax-bills eat millet-seed, canary seed, and a little soaked bread and
sponge-cake.

Other Foreign Birds

Java sparrows are pretty creatures, although they do very little for
you. Perhaps the most attractive of small foreign birds is the
avadavat, a tiny, perky little soldier. These live quite comfortably
together; and indeed, if it is permitted, you should certainly, for
the non-singing birds, have a large cage and keep many such birds in
it rather than put them in small cages. They will be far happier.

The Chaffinch

The chaffinch has to re-learn his song every spring, and for a
fortnight or more you will hear him trying his voice very sweetly and
softly, but as soon as he has acquired his song in perfection, it will
be so strong and piercing that on fine days he often has to be
banished from the sitting-room. He should not, however, be exposed too
much to sun and wind; a cloth thrown over half the cage will make a
shelter. The chaffinch is another bird that should never be put in a
bell-shaped cage. He should occasionally have flies and other insects
given him. He is lively and hardy and a very gay companion.

The Goldfin