230 TirE FE-iTIlERED TRIHES. 



THE CANARY lilRD. 



This pleasing bird had its origin in the pleasant climate and delightful valleys of the 

 Canary islands, and is now spread throughout Europe, part of Asia, and as far as Siberia. 

 The beauty of its form, its plumage, and its song, united with its great docility, soon 

 gained it admittance into the most magnificent abodes, where every one delights in 

 rearing and preserving it, whilst the fairest hands are often eager to present it with the 

 most delicate food. 



It was brought into our climate as early as the beginning of the sixteenth century. 

 The arrival of the canary in Em'opo is thus described : — A vessel, which besides its 

 merchandise, Avas bringing a number of these birds to Leghorn, was shipwrecked on the 

 coast of Italy opposite the island of Elba, where these little birds, having been set at 

 liberty, took refuge. The climate being favourable, they increased, and would certainly 

 liave become naturalised, had not the wish to possess them occasioned their being caught 

 in such numbers, that at last they were extirpated from their new country. From this 

 cause Italy was the first European country where the canary was reared. At first, their 

 education was diflicult, as the proper manner of treating them was unknown ; and what 

 tended to render them scarce was, that only the male birds were brought over ; there 

 were no females. 



Those which introduce into their- melody some passages of the nightingale's song are 

 the most esteemed of all canaries ; they are called Tyrolean canaries, because they are 

 considered natives of the T3'rol, where they breed many of these birds. The second ai-e 

 the Enghsh canaries, which imitate the song of the woodlark. But in Thuringia, the 

 preference is generally given to those which, instead of a succession of noisy bursts, 

 know how, with a silvery sonorous voice, to descend regularly through all the tones of 

 the octave, introducing from time to time the sound of a trumpet. There are some 

 males which, especially in the pairing season, sing with so much strength and ardour, 

 that they burst the delicate vessels of the lungs, and die suddenly. 



Bechstein thus points out the best rules for obtaining and preserving good singers : 

 " The most essential is to choose from among the yoimg that which promises a fine tone, 

 and to seclude it from all other birds, that it may learn and remember notliiiig bad. The 

 same precaution is necessary during the first and second moulting ; for being likely to 

 re-learn (if I may say so) its song, it would introduce into it with equal ease foreign 

 parts. It must be observed ■whether the bird likes to sing alone, or in company witli 

 others, for tliere are some which appear to have such whims, liking to hear only them- 

 selves, and which pout for whole years if they are not humoured on this point. Others 

 sing faintly and display their poAvers only when they can try their strength against a 

 rival. It is very important to distribute regularly to singing birds the simple allowance 

 of fresh food which is intended for the day. By this means they will sing ovci-y day 

 equally, because they will cat uniformly, and not pick the best one day. and be obliged 

 to put up A\ith tlie refuse the next. 



"About two spoonfuls of drj' food is sufficient for (he daily nourishment of a 

 canary ; what he leaves may be thrown to the birds whicli are free in the room, and 

 will serve as a variety to those which have only the univc-rsul paste to satisfy their 

 appetite." 



THE CHAFFINCH.* 



This delighlful songster of spring, famed for the .sprightlincss of its warbling — tin's 

 favourite bird of most of our bird-funciers — is very generally known. Tlic jjassion I'or 

 this bird is carried to such an extent in Tliuringia, and those wliich sing well are sought 

 for with so much activity, that scarcely a single chaflincli that warbles tolerably can be 



* l-'riiigilla Ciclebs. 



