356 CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



when ill l);Tf (liiii^ coiidit ion, ;ui(l then liis Iiowcvcr, nb.solii)<-ly iieccssaiA . I'or we li:i\c 



|)cculi;ir sDiii^, (•oiisistinjj ol' ji I'l w sli.'iip li;ul birds ol' tlie various crosses ]);iir up 



imisicul notes nut uiilikf tlio.sc of tlic Cioid- quite freely whieli lia\c n<\(r seen cacli 



finch, and fmisliinif up witli a long " elier," oll.er nntll \\c iiaircd them, 



is incessant, and even "wlicn ])ccl<iiit,' at IF Ihcrc bo scNcral a|i|)r(i\((l l^'incht's at 



the wires or scnic otlur ]>art ol' the caifc command, they ma\- he mated up wilii 



tlie chattei'inn- sdiit; slill coidimies. 'Vhv liens preeisel\- as Canaries, 



I r I 1 ■ I II 1 . ■ . 1 ■ I Breeding. , , ■ .. " , , . 



I)eak also puis on a rich lleshy Iml which hiil il not. a i^iiod Inrd iii 



shows ii|) \i\idly throiiLiii the (hisk\ hi.U'h coiuhtioii ma\ he "■|'iiii " tliiniii,'h 



siii-raee colour. almost any niimher ol' eaL;<s. where he 



The l\ed|ioll in niaimcr is milcli hke llie w ih not Tail to lease his mark. lie need 



Siskin, and when in hrccdiiiL;' condition is not, ol' iieeessit\-. he allowed to remain lono- 



cillier ])crrormini;- his chatlcriiiLi; sono-- - with his hens. .V more tractable i)ird 



which can onl>' be called a chatter or is than a (hijdlincli docs not exist, il' allowed 



" reedinji- '■ his I'cet or the end cO' the |)ereii lo settle down with his hen he will make 



the whole day throiiyh. TIum- are I'airiy the ir.ost atlentixi' mate, and nurse and 



sure siiviis as to his readiness I'dr pairiny u|). I'eed in tlu' most c\eiiiplar\ manner. It is 



The liody colour ol' the Twite is ,a won- wt-11. however, not to tax him in this wa\-. 



derriil rich tint ol reildish brown at all as a lien is well able to at tend to t he diit ics 



limes: but as t his bird comes int d breedino- demanded by her olTspriny. and lie is 



condition the brow ii assumes a much richer iiiori' likeU' to remain in robust health 



lustre th.in a! other periods, and the and vigour il' not overworked. There is 



yellow ol' the beak becomes inteiisilied. some risk in lca\ino- an untried bird with 



The plnmam- also tils the body excc])tioii- a hen till she lays, as he may take it into 



ally closely. ni\iiio- tile bird a more s|)riulilly his head to (.■xamine iiiln the eonleuts ,,\ 



appearance. Jle is also very active and the eifiis, hir which purpose his pcunted 



siiios what little sonu' he has more lliieiitly beak is well adajifcd : but this miseliievous 



than at ol her I iines. .-ill heiiiu indieat ions ul' propensity is happilv r;ither the exception 



his bcinu readv I'or p.iirin^. than the rule. The .Siskin is really a 



The ('a]ie Canary in hi-eediiiH' condititiii greater sinner in this respect, and when 



displays a rieliel- hue than usual over his such a bad haiiil has h( en aeipiiieil there 



])himati'e. and sino-s his sweet musical suny is (uie simple preventive (/«//'/ iillii:i.- Ilnni 



louder , ■mil more incessantly. The Hybrid ti sccdiid (iiiiKirlinillii. 



mentioned in I he previous chapter as bred The most inexperieiieed can snon learn 



rrom this bird w.as paired in I'.MO to a lien when a hen is on the eve of layiiiu'. hir 



C'aiiarv it heint,' a cock bird by my she becomes verv heavy behind, and 



s])ecial rei|iiesl toascerlain resnlls. Koth usuall\' less spriiiht ly in her movemenl s the 



birds were in the very best ei>udition. the dav |>rev ions to l.i villi;' : and bv leinoviiiL;- 



Ilylirid sinii-iiiu- hisliiv. .and L;oinn throimli her p.-irtner each ni^lit just hel'ore dusk, 



all the perrormance ol' pairinn'. etc.; the ret Mriimu' him t o t he lu n aL;aiu in t lie nioni- 



lieii Caiiarv liililt nests, and laid, but .ill iiiii when vmi li.a ve sciail'ed I he en'i^-. issal'er 



tlie efi'ii's were iiul'eitile. and the resiiMs and more cITeetive than trusting; to b(<in<>- 



were thus simil.ar to those Irom our J'>ritish in the room in time in the irnrnino- to 



Hybrids. secure the cl;:^ bernre it is intei I'ered with. 



'i"he cock C.anai'y's breeding- eondiliou A diinmiv em; sluiuld be placed in the nest 



has been Inllv explained in our C.aii.irv each morniiiu' instead ol' that rciiioxed. 



ehajiters. Where eonvenieni Ihe inn until the hen has completed her cliilch. 



Canaries and their ihitish pailiiers may he Then remove the diiminies. and put the 



allowed to lly loiicthcr in groups, in lliuhl l''iueli in a can'c to himsell'. and return the 



cages, all Ihe winter, so thai tliev may net hen her own c^'si's. Icavint;' her to sit. 



hiniiliar with each other, 'i'liis is not, hatch and r<ai' the brood by hersell'. 



