48



Rev. Hubert D. Astley,



In Santa Cruz it is a common cage-bird, and on driving

out of the town, it very soon makes itself either heard or seen in

a state of natural freedom. At first sight, a flock of these birds

might be mistaken for a flock of Linnets when flitting from tree

to tree, or gathering together on the rocky ground, picking up

stray seeds of various plants.


In January and February, some of the Canaries have

already paired off on the lower ground of the Island, whilst

hundreds of others are still in large or small flocks ; and a very

pretty sight and sound it is to see perhaps hundreds of these

little greenish-grey birds sitting on the still bare stems of a large

fig-tree amongst the wild desert-like ground, bestrewn with tufa

and lava, and to hear probably twenty male birds all twittering

and singing together, whilst others give vent to many a ‘ tweet,’

bringing back nursery days and one’s first cage-pet.


Turned towards the sun, the males are easily recognisable

by the bright touches of yellow on their breasts. And whilst

this wintry scene of gathered birds is going on, many pairs have

stolen away from that tuneful concourse (which makes one think

one is in close proximity to a vast aviary, or Canary-breeding

establishment), and already in January are building a compact

nest of moss and interwoven grass and lining of feathers,

perhaps amongst the top branches of an orange-tree in some

garden.


The scene is wintry only because of that flocking together

and assembled concourse of fluttering wings, and in no other

way, for the usual January temperature, which month in Teneriffe

pretends to call itself a winter one, is somewhere about 6o° ; and

even stuffy people are glad to keep their windows open at night.


So much for the Wild Canary! “and where does the

Hooded Siskin come ? ” Not until the 3rd Act. He delays his

appearance like a great actor or Prima Donna. The scene of

Act ii. is laid in a greengrocer’s shop in Santa Cruz—a green¬

grocer who appears to be the only person there publicly calling

himself at the same time a bird dealer. When his vegetables

run out and perhaps his fruit, then he turns an honest piastre,

or otherwise, by the birds.



