HISTORY OF THE CANARY 



II 



possible. It is also quite likely that such 

 a sport in the Sparrow would be called a 

 Canary even at the present day by the 

 majority of people. 



It will be our object to prove that there 

 is a nuich simpler and more 

 feasible explanation of the great 

 variability of the Canary than 

 by supposing it to be due to 

 crossing with allied species 

 (the progeny of most of which 

 we now know to be more or 

 less sterile), or even to those 

 influences included under the 

 term " domestication," to 

 which Darwin attached much 

 importance. 



Among the earliest refer- 

 ences to the Canary must 

 be noted the description of 

 Gesner in his " Historia Animalium," Book 

 III., p. 1, date 1555. 



Although the figures in Ges- 

 Oldest ner are somewhat feeble, not 



LUerluire. ^° ^^^ grotesque, the illus- 

 tration here is an exception. 

 A fairly good engraving of a Siskin with 

 laced cap is given, and after some remarks 

 about nomenclature and classification, the 

 author says : — 



" Huius generis sunt quas Anglia aves 

 Canarias vocat " (" Of this kind are those 

 birds the English call Canaries "). 



Gesner's description of the Canary may 

 be here given (from Ray's translation, 1678, 

 of Willughby's " Ornithology," 1676) : — 



" It is of the bigness of the Common Tit- 

 mouse ; hath a small white bill, thick at 

 base, and contracted into a sharp point ; 

 all the feathers of the wings and tail being 

 of a green colour ; so that it differs little 

 from those small birds which our country- 

 men call Citrils, or those they call Zifels, 

 and the Italians, Ligurini (Siskins), save 

 that it is a little bigger than either of those, 

 liker in show or outward appearance to 

 this (latter), somewhat greener than that 

 (former). 



" Between the cock and the hen bird I 

 have observed this difference, that the 

 Breast, Belly, and upper part of the Head 



adjoining to the Bill, are more yellow in 

 the Cock than in the Hen." 



Gesner also gives another very interest- 

 ing reference to the Canary at this date 

 (1555)— Book III., p. 249, "De Citrinella." 



THE SISKIN. 



From Gesjier's ^'Historia Animalium" {1555). 



After describing the Citril as being similar 

 to Chloris (Greenfinch), with yellow or 

 citron breast, grey head, and excelling all 

 of this genus in song, except the Serin, he 

 adds : — 



" Similis huic est, ut audio, Canaria dicta 

 avicula, qucv e Canariis Insulis, sacchari 

 jcracibus, advclutur, suavissimi cantus " 

 (" Similar to this is, as I hear, the bird of 

 sweetest song, called the Canary, which is 

 brought from the Canary Islands, produc- 

 tive of sugar "). 



He further adds : — 



" It is sold everywhere very dear, both 

 for the sweetness of its singing, and also 

 because it is brought from far remote places 

 with great care and diligence, and but 

 rarely, so that it is wont to be kept only 

 by nobles and great men." 



Gesner also says, referring to the Canary 

 Islands : — 



" Out of which in our age are wont to 

 be brought certain singing birds which 

 from the place they are bred, they commonly 

 call Canary birds ; others call them Sugar 

 birds, because the best sugar is brought 

 thence." 



We learn from this that, in the first 

 half of the sixteenth century. Canaries and 

 sugar were imported into Europe (includ- 

 ing England), and as the final conquest of 



