100 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



to go iu for stock that is too expensive. 

 Let him instead keep cheap but pure-bred 

 stock initil he has had a season's experi- 

 ence and knows the ordinary routine of 

 bird management. This accompHshcd, he 

 can launch forth carcrully. remembering 

 that good birds eat no more than bad 

 ones. 



It is only too easy, even when at the 

 top of the ladder, to make a false step 

 and slide down to the bottom ; but next 

 to impossible to begin at the bottom and 

 reach the top if the bars be rotten ; and 

 we therefore urge the fancier to buy the 

 very best his means will jjcrmit. The 

 only question we sliall enter into in this 

 jilace, in speaking of the selection of 

 stock, is as regards age. and we shall 

 dismiss it summarily by saying it is jicr- 

 fectly inuuaterial, exec))t when a bird is 

 ])ast breeding. There is, iiowcver, no defi- 

 nite age when a bird ceases to Ijrecd ; this 

 entirely depends upon health and stnmina. 

 INIany are only fruitful for three or four years, 

 while others will go on for several years 

 longer. Therefore a f)ird must only be 

 discarded for breeding purposes when it 

 fails to perform the necessary functions. 

 Secure good birds, but ne\ tr mind the age if 

 they are only healthy. .\ C anary at twelve 

 months old, notwithstanding it still carries 

 a portion ol' its nest -feat hers — \i/,. wings and 

 tail — may still be said to be matured, and 

 displa\s all its natural instincts. The cock 

 birds look out eagerly For mates, and the 

 hens are equally anxious for the duties of 

 nuiternity. and. if left to themselves, would 

 lay nests ol' unl'ertile eggs and sit on them 

 till hope died out with declining health and 

 strength. \\"e hnvv never found that age 

 added one iota to their experience, or that 

 youth was connected with any lack ol' know- 

 ledge. The exercise of maternal dutii's is 

 the outcf)ine of natural instiiu'ts. nati\e and 

 dccji-rooted. and as strongly developed 

 and true in their action when the lirst 

 nestling emerges from its shell as when 

 grcat-grandcliildi'en are perj'ormiiig like' 

 duties. AVe have heard \arious theories 

 on this subject of age. but do not consider 

 anv ol' them worth a second Ihouuht. 



The time of the year at which the V)irds 



should be put together varies according to 



circumstances, as we briefly 



The Time indicated in a i)rcvious 



for Sreeding. ' 



cha])ter. There is nothing 



in the whole roiuul of Canary-breeding 

 that requires such a cool head and the 

 ca])aeity for resisting temptation as the 

 itching desire everyone lias in the early 

 sj)ring to make a beginning. It is only 

 exi^erience which makes the breeder wise 

 in this resjiect. Nature, if we wt)uld 

 but study her, has regulated all things 

 well for the protection of both old and 

 young birds, and, as we have pointed out, 

 the breeder is often wont to nm against 

 her. with disastrous results 



A warm tenq^erature practically aiuii- 

 hilates egg-binding, and there is nothing 

 gained by being too anxious to jwir the 

 birds up early in the year diu'ing the cold 

 period. E\en supposing one succeeds in 

 getting the hens to lay, and the eggs prove 

 fertile and hatch out, there are odds 

 against rearing the young. It nmst Ijc 

 remendiered that though young birds are 

 V)ountifully covered Avith a fine silky 

 down-like feather. Avhich is quite suflicient 

 for the first few days, Avhile the mother 

 keeps them closely covered, and leaves the 

 nest only at intervals for a second or two 

 to get a I'cw |)icks of egg-food with which 

 to feed the young, this down each day 

 becomes thiimer. and just before the feather 

 appears the young birds are practically 

 bare. At this time the hen comes oiT the 

 nest more fretpiently. and remains oil for 

 longer jicriods. and it is then the danger 

 occurs if the weather Ijc cold, as the 

 feathcrless young get chilled, infl.'uumation 

 sets in, and cjuickly carries olf tlu' brood. 

 Of course, if artificial heat is available, 

 this can to a great extent be avoided. 

 Scores ol' imrirtile eggs are another rcsvdt 

 ol' |)airing tlu' birds too early. 



'I'he sym])toms of this desire to jiair 



the birds up early arc j^rctty nuieh tlu' 



same in every case, and 



The Call ocncrallv show themselves on 



of Spring. ■ , ,, 1 ■. 



a sumiy day alter a short 

 country walk. l*crha])s we ha\c picked a 



