HOW TO SHIP A CANARY
A cardboard carton approximately 8″ × 8″ × 12″ is suitable for shipping one or two canaries. Cover all joints inside the bottom of box with gummed tape to prevent loss of feed supply by sifting. Cut a row of six small holes near the top for ventilation. Next cut an opening on one side for a window. The window need not be more than 3″ square. In cool weather cover this opening with reinforced, transparent plastic window material, usually available at hardware stores or poultry supply dealers. In warm weather, use a small square of regular wire screen, secured in place with heavy package wrapping tape. Cut an opening on the opposite side for a door approximately 3″ square, leaving one of the four sides uncut to act as a hinge. Use a clean evaporated milk can for a water cup. Cut an opening about one inch square in the top of the can near the edge. Place the can on the floor of the box against the two sides forming a corner near the window. The opening in the top of the can should be toward the center of the box. Secure the can in position with a piece of wire. Loop the wire around the can and run the ends through the two sides of the box forming the corner. The ends of the wire should then be folded flat and held in place with tape. Filling the container half full of clean imitation sponge will help to prevent the water in the can from spilling.
Using small tacks, nail a perch across the narrow width of the box at the window end 1½″ from the floor and close enough to the water container so that the canary can reach it from the perch. The perch must not be closer than four inches from the end of the box to prevent injury to the bird’s tail feathers.
To provide additional moisture, wire a half an orange to the corner of the box nearest the other end of the perch. The orange should be placed so the bird can reach it easily from the perch. The sliced side of the orange should face into the box, and the wires should be taped on the outside. Scatter several tablespoons of seed and a few teaspoons of gravel on the floor. Seal the box at the top with gummed tape. Label top of carton in bold black letters “LIVE BIRD”—“THIS SIDE UP.” Print addresses “TO” and “FROM” plainly. Admit canary and seal door with gummed tape. Tie carton securely with heavy wrapping cord.
CUT-AWAY VIEW OF CANARY SHIPPING CASE
a. Ventilation holes b. Door taped shut c. Half orange wired to corner of box d. Window with wire screen covering taped in position e. Water cup wired to corner of box f. 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 time. When possible take the bird to the Express office yourself. Have all necessary papers written up. These will be supplied in advance by the Express Company. Birds must be insured for full value, otherwise the Express Company will pay no more than $5.00 in the event the bird is lost, stolen, or accidentally killed.
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 type. To appreciate fully the beauty of these paintings, stand the book upright and view them at a distance of from four to five feet as you would paintings in an exhibition gallery. North light will be found better than most artificial illumination.
William C. Dilger, one of America’s most talented ornithological artists, painted these outstanding canary portraits. At the time the paintings were made, Mr. Dilger was completing work for his Doctor’s degree at Cornell University. Mr. Dilger has had many years of experience in the field of bird painting. As a boy, he found his greatest pleasure in drawing birds. Even while in the Army in World War II, he found time to continue his study by sketching wild birds native to India and the Far East. This collection of paintings truly represents a “labor of love.”
Mr. George F. Mitchell of Toronto, Canada, one of the continent’s most highly regarded bird show judges, supervised the descriptions in the “Gallery Catalogue” and served as consultant throughout the preparation of the paintings. Mr. Mitchell is well-known both in Canada and the United States for his efforts in connection with bird shows.
BIRDS ARE DESCRIBED IN THE ORDER OF APPEARANCE