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Canary mother in this case appeared to exercise the 

 prepotence, for these youngsters one and all shewed 

 no trace of this colour, but were almost exactly like 

 what the older writers and the present scientific orni- 

 thologists alike recognize as the feral Canary. 



With all the above grounds before us it therefore 

 seems to be taking an untenable position to say either 

 that the parentage of our domestic bird is obscure. 

 or that the greenish "Cape Canary" with its "old 

 gold" front, its yellow fringes, and its ashy grey neck, 

 is the original stock. 



Yet one more argument, which I include for the 

 benefit of those who dislike to be convinced by any- 

 thing savouring of science, or as they love to call it — 

 theory. Although in 14S6 Diaz, the Portugese adven- 

 turer, landed for a few days at what is now known as 

 Algoa through stress of storm, and then sailed away 

 to avoid the hostile attentions of the natives, (circum- 

 stances not likely to have allowed of bird catching), 

 and although in 1497 the east coast was sighted, 

 (though not touched), by de Gama on Dec. 25 and 

 hence named Natal, it was not until another century 

 had passed that any fresh landing was effected. On 

 this occasion, in 1601, a stay of seven weeks duration 

 was made in Table Bay by five small ships, manned by 

 those who were not very likely to worry themselves 

 about insignificant looking small birds, or even to 

 possess the conveniences necessary to transport in 

 safety through so long a voyage a sufl&cient number of 

 them to stock Europe. Besides in 1544, fifty-seveji 

 years previously, we see fi'om Turner that Canaries were 

 already so common as to be even then found in English 

 cages. It is therefore perfectly obvious that it is not 

 to South Africa that we must turn for our Wild Canary. 

 Rather let us accept the little bird which is presented 

 to us as such by the string of ornithologists beginning 

 with Gesner and ending with Dr. Bowdler Sliarpe. 



