414 



JOURNAL OP HORTICOLTDBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ May 21, 1874. 



will be that they will be crooked-breasted, and judges will not 

 often award a prize of any importance to a crooked-breasted 

 bird. Some fanciers, I believe, accustom their young stock to 

 roost on perches that are flat and some inches wide, but surely 

 the youngsters keep as close to the edge as they can, and indent 

 their breasts if possible. Others, again, allow no roosting places 

 or perches of any kind, and prefer that their birds should huddle 

 together on the ground. I have tried this plan, and in conse- 

 quence have lost valuable chickens that have been either crushed 

 to death or suffocated during the silent watches of the night. 

 Some writers advise that fowls should be allowed to roost in the 

 trees, but here again I am afraid of crooked breasts. Perhaps 

 some more experienced fancier will be able to throw light on 

 this subject and tell ua what course he has found best to adopt. 

 — Puzzled. 



The Royal Counties (Hants and Berks) Agkicultur.al 

 Society. — The last day for entering horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, 

 dogs, poultry. Pigeons, and Rabbits at the Society's Show is 

 Saturday next, 23rd inst. From the preparations making in the 

 show yard at Reading, it is evident the Society anticipates a 

 large meeting. 



THE CANARY.— No. 1. 



The Canary is now reared in almost every civilised country. 

 More than three hundred years ago a ship sailing from the 

 Canary Islands, laden with merchandise and a few Canaries, 

 was wrecked on the coast of Italy. The birds escaped to the 

 timbered lands near the coast, where they bred freely, and would 

 have become naturalised had not the sweetness and brilliancy 

 of their notes attracted the natives, who were possessed of so 

 strong a desire to obtain them that by continually hunting them 

 the wild breed became extinct. After this circumstance the 

 captured birds spread rapidly over all Europe. 



In a state of nature the Canary nests in shrubs on the banks 

 of small streams, which are numerous in their native islands. 



The original colour of the Canary was not hke those of the pre- 

 sent day, bnt of a brownish oUve-green mixed with black and 

 yellow. The present brilliant hues of plumage have been pro- 

 duced by cross-breeding with other birds. 



Fanciers, by careful management, have instituted rules by 

 which the arrangement of colouring of the Canary can be bred 

 of any shade between that of the parrot-green, orange, and 

 lemon ; but still the original colour will appear occasionally, 

 even when two lemon-coloured birds are mated together. 



The Canary is now bred for this market principally in Ger- 

 many, in the kingdom of Hanover, where the peasants make 

 their chief means of subsistence by their breeding. Tourists 

 are sure to visit the Hartz Mountains, the great bird-breeding 

 rnart of the world. While the United States receive their sup- 

 ply mostly from this locality, some are imported from France, 

 Belgium, and Holland. 



The song of the Canary has also changed under this process 

 of cross-breeding. One accustomed to listen to their original 

 notes would scarcely recognise in the modern bird the song of 

 their progenitor. 



The price paid by the importer varies, but is usually about 

 one doUar each, according to the beauty of plumage and excel- 

 lence of song. 



German peasants manufacture small wooden cages in large 

 numbers from fir wood, which grows upon the mountain sides. 

 Some are dome-shaped and some are sijuare, and about S inches 

 long by 4 inches in height and width. Every bird has a sepa- 

 rate cage, and every cage is made entirely of wood ; pegs, in- 

 stead of nails, are used to fasten them together. They are 

 manufactured at the small price of two cents each. 



It is estimated that about fifty thousand Canaries are imported 

 annually into America. During the passage they require care- 

 ful attention daily in feeding and watering. The cages are 

 arranged in divisions, so as to allow the keepers to pass between 

 them to feed the birds and clean the cages. If cleanliness is 

 neglected, sickness is engendered, and many birds will perish in 

 consequence. The usual cargo for a single ship consists of about 

 four thousand birds. 



Varieties. — There are three varieties known in America— viz., 

 the German, French, and Belgian. The German are designated 

 as the short, and the Belgian as the long breed, while the French 

 are intermediate, and perhaps may have originated by a cross 

 between the two varieties. 



The German bird excels as a singer; the French bird ranks 

 next. While the Belgian bird does not sing generally so well, 

 it is 60 exquisitely formed that in the eyes of a fancier it more 

 than compensates for its deficiency of song. Enthusiasts re- 

 cognise in this highly-formed Canary ten points— viz., small 

 1?' ^^^^ • '°"8 aud slender neck ; high and square shoulders ; 

 the back well rounded, so as to form a segment of a circle; 

 general neatness of aspect and length of tail, inclining in a circle 

 with the back ; thinness and length of the bird ; erectness and 

 length of limbs; closeness of feathers; richness of colour. 

 These are the points as given by Mr. Bamesby, an English 



fancier. They recognise three varieties of the Belgian— viz., 

 erect, roughed, and hooped. In this country the long French 

 bird takes the place of the erect Belgian, and we only recognise 

 the hooped bird as the Belgian. Choice specimens sometimes 

 sell for $100. 



Colour. — The yellow and the mealy are the colours most 

 prized, but it is considered that the mottled and green birds 

 have the strongest constitutions. 



lu Europe the breeding of Canaries is reduced to a science. 

 Societies are formed, which hold annual exhibitions and offer 

 prizes for competition. ' 



Enthusiastic fanciers recognise some thirty varieties, which 

 are arranged under two divisions — viz., plain and variegated. 

 The plain are designated as gay or gai/sparigled ; the variegated 

 as fancy birds. The Jonque or Jonquil is a bright yellow bird; 

 the Mealy is a pale yellow intermingled with white, which makes 

 the bird appear as if sprinkled with meal ; the Lizard is a green 

 bird spotted with yellow, with a cap of a rich yellow colour; the 

 highly-prized Cinnamon bird is so called on account of it resem- 

 bling in colour cinnamon bark. 



Designation of Sex.— The male bird is the songster. The 

 female scarcely ever sings; if so, their notes are weak and 

 effeminate, and they never fill out under their throats while 

 articulating notes, as do the males. The male has a short stout 

 beak, and is wide between the eyes, with a flat head. The wider 

 they are between the eyes the better. The crown of the head of 

 the female is more round than the male. 



To Distinguish Old from Young Birds. — The feet and lega 

 of young birds are smooth and glossy ; the toe-nails are short. 

 Old birds have rough and scaly feet, with long toe-nails. It 

 sometimes is necessary to trim the nails to prevent their being 

 caught in the wires of the cage. 



Mode of Improving thier Song. — In Europe great attention 

 is paid to improving the song of Canaries. The two modes are 

 practised as follows : A large cage is constructed with close parti- 

 tions, being divided into sections, which effectually exclude the 

 view from each other. A superior singing bird — a Nightingale 

 or Skylark — is placed within hearing, but out of sight. By listen- 

 ing to the beautiful notes they are taught to imitate. In sis 

 months they will have acquired perfection, when they can be 

 removed to separate cages. Another method is : When young 

 birds are first beginning to fry to sing, they are separated from 

 the parent bird to prevent them from acquiring tbe song of the 

 old bird. The room is made quite dark, with just enough light 

 admitted to enable them to see to eat. A musical instrument is 

 constructed, called a bird organ, and is played for an hour each 

 day in the room, in the hearing of the young birds. Nothing 

 else attracting their attention, they become attentive listeners, 

 and soon attempt to practise the song, which in the course of 

 time they are enabled to perfectly repeat. 



Food and Management. — The food best adapted to their use 

 is clear canary seed. Sometimes it is mixed with one-fourth of 

 rape seed. Hemp seed should not be used, as it produces too 

 much fat. Occasionally they should be allowed a sprig of lettuce 

 or cabbage leaf, or a piece of apple. They should be fed and 

 given fresh water every day. The cage should be kept clean, 

 and the bottom of the cage should be sprinkled with gravel. 

 This will supersede the necessity of cuttle-fish bone, unless it 

 can be conveniently supplied. 



Moulting Season. — The moulting season takes place once each 

 year, generally during September or October. The easting-off of 

 plumage, and the formation of a new dress neccessarily produces 

 indisposition suflieient to cause them to cease their song. During 

 this period especial attention should be given them ; the tem- 

 perature of their room should be uniform, and they should be 

 free from draughts of cold air ; the cage should be suspended 

 3 feet from the ceihng, in order to avoid the deleterious air and 

 gas escaping from the combustion of coal. 



Mating and Breeding Can.aries. — The mating of Canaries for 

 breeding purposes requires instruction as well as experience in 

 order to insure success. 



Breeding cages can be obtained from dealers, suitably arranged 

 for exercise, nesting, &c. They are provided with a shelf per- 

 forated with an opening sufficiently large to contain a nest (which 

 is usually made of wire-gauze), besides perches, feed-cups, &c. 



The cage should be hung at least a foot above your head, and 

 should occupy a southerly aspect, if possible, and not be moved 

 until the breeding season is over. Should a cage be used that 

 had previously been employed for this purpose, it would be a 

 safer plan to scald it with water made alkaline by baking soda, 

 and then revarnished. 



In selecting the pair, several things are to be considered : 

 1st, the desired sex; 2ud, colour; 3rd, the size and shape of the 

 birds. 



A young male and an old female mated together produce 

 mostly male offspring, which is greatly to be desired. Males 

 and females of about the same age mated produce about equal 

 proportions of male and female young. 



i2nd. Colour. — To produce a handsome yellow bird, the male 

 should be a Jonquil; the female should be a Mealy bird. Such 



