A common earthen saucer belonging to a flower-pot is very good
for the purpose. As this saucer will be too large to go through the
cage-door, it should be placed on a large folded cloth or paper and the
upper part of the cage placed over it. While the bird is taking his
bath, the floor of the cage may be made clean for the day.
It is a good plan to give a canary bread, crackers, a little of the
hard-boiled yolk of an egg, or a piece of apple. In summer he will enjoy
a bunch of chickweed. In winter he may have a bit of lettuce or cabbage
leaf. He should have something green every day. Of course he must have
also canary and rape seeds, and occasionally a very little hemp seed for
a treat.
If the canary or rape seed is poor the bird will scatter it and refuse
to eat it. Only seed which is large and clean should be used. It is
better to buy each kind by itself and mix them afterwards. The hemp seed
is so rich that not more than half a small teaspoonful should be given
at a time. Do not mix this with the other seeds, but scatter it on the
floor of the cage.
Mosquitoes sometimes annoy a canary very much. A loose bag of netting
drawn over the cage will save him from unnecessary suffering. When these
poor prisoners are in our care we must do what we can to protect them
and make them happy.
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