354 CANARIES, HMJKIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



Mipplyiiio- flic Inn with tlic (irilin:ii'y I'ikkI :is 1:ii-^c. in Tact, as sonic ot tht- Silx-rian 



I'or rearinji' youuL^- Canaries. 'J'lu- iiicidi-nt J]uilliiiclu-s. Success in brcc(Uni>- this 



occurred in lliis way. Mr. Stevens ])ro- Hybrid greatly depentis upon ycttiny the 



cured two wihl-caunht hen HidHinches in cock Cani'ry and lien IJuiilineh on <,'ood 



October. 1!)07. and paitilioned olT hall' oT terms witii each other, and botii in hiiih 



a larjie flif^iit which lie had hir yoiuiy breeding condition, which is larociN' acliicvcd 



Canaries, '> feet high. 2 I'eet wide, and liS by judicious feeding and healthy suitable 



inches dec]). In I'Vbruary. I'.tOS. he put surroundings, factors which apply eejually 



one of tile lien Bulltinclics into tliis com- to all Hybrid breeding. 



])artmeiit with a young cock Canary, bred Some hen Canaries are a little fastidious 



by himself during ]i)()7. They ajipeared about jiairing up with the various British 



to agree all right, and in .Vpril he noticed Finches, .sonic arc downright 



the cock Canary lecdiiig the hen Bidlfmch. Hen Canaries ..bstinate, and will not "o 



and Finches. " 



Mr. Stevens then hung one of the small to nest with them, doing 



German wicker cages up in the com])art- nothing but pace about the breeding cage 

 nieiit. removing all the wickers from one calling to the cock Canaries they may hear 

 end. for them to build in if they would, at singing. AVe have usually been successful 

 the same time supplying them with some in reconciling such hens by hanging a cock 

 hay cut into short lengths, rootlets and Canary in a, small wire cage, such as a 

 a piece of cocoanut matting a few inches Yorkshire show cage, in front of the breeding 

 long. The cock Canary and hen IJullhnch cage containing the Finch and hen Canary, 

 lioth set to work and pulled the matting hanging it close to the wires. The cock 

 to ])icces, and built a nice nest, the hen Canary so placed sings to the hen through 

 Bullfinch laying on June 7th, though on the wires, and attempts to feed her as 

 the bottom of the cage, not in the nest tliev best he can, while she builds ipiile happily, 

 had built: she laid two more eggs, both in and on calling to the Canary for mating, 

 the nest. Mr. Stevens had a hen Canary the Finch immediately copulates with her. 

 which had just laid, and commenced to ^[an\' Canarv hens jiair up (piite freely 

 sit. M) he removed all her eggs but one. with a JJritish bird without showing any 

 and gave her the Hullliiieirs three eggs, dis|)leasurc at their strange partner, excepi; 

 with the one of her own. In due course ])erha])s I'or the first day or so: and if Ihe 

 the young Canary hatched out., -11111 one of British bii'd is in high bi-et'ding condifion 

 the Canary-J5nlllinches : one of the other he will, as a rule, be quite anxious to make 

 eggs was unfertile, the other fertile, but friends, but if he is not in breeding con- 

 dead in shell. Bolhlhe Hybrid ami yonnn dition there will be a (lis|)lay of spile on 

 Canary were successfully reared by this his part, and the confidence of Ihe hen 

 hen Canary on egg food, canary, 1kiii|). and Canar\ is thus often broken. Most ex- 

 rape seed, with watercress as green food. perienced Hybrid breeders. since the 

 The hen J?nllfineh had I wo more nests that inajorit\ of British birds do not come 

 season, of lour eggs each, laid in the nest. into breeding condition (piite so earlv as 

 Two ol the eggs in each of Ihe clutches Canaries, take a nest of young Canaries from 

 were I'erlile, but did not hatch: Ihe hen each of their muling hens first, and then 

 Bullfinch would not sit on the two first pair them up with the l?rit isfi birds for I he 

 clutches, but sat clos<l\ on dummy eggs second and third nests at tlie(ii(l of .Vpi'il 

 in the third nest, her own each time being or during Ma\-. 'J'aking a nest of Canaries 

 given to Canaries to sit and hatch foi- first answers a t wofold ])nrpose. it pre\-ciits 

 safety. waste of the hens" strength in |ja\ing 

 'i'his young Canary-Biillllneh. which was iinfcrtili' eggs to the l''ineh. and enables 

 successfully rcai'ed. though bred from ;in the breeder to maintain his supply of 

 English hen Bullfinch, was one of Ihe muling Canaries, the young produc'cd each 

 largest Hybrids of the cross we have seen, year from the lirsl round supplying any 



