THE FINCHES. 95 
e 
that identical specimen. Most people like a yellow bird 
best, but the green ones are the strongest, as is usually 
the case with domestic animals when they retain the wild 
colour. Green or pied birds are often called mules, but 
this is a mistake, the true mule Canary being the hybrid 
ofispring of a Canary and some other Finch, usually a 
Goldfinch. Real mule Canaries are barren, but they are 
good songsters and very strong and hardy. 
The breeding of Canaries is easily managed. They may 
be kept in pairs in cages, or a cock and two or three hens 
may be turned into a small aviary ; in a large one more 
than one cock may be placed, but there should always be 
plenty of hens, for the Canary, although not naturally 
a polygamous bird, will, if opportunity allows, take to 
himself more than one wife, and thus a large number of 
young can be reared. Only small and harmless birds 
should be put with Canaries in an aviary, as they are not 
very well able to look after themselves ; indeed, in the 
French slang “‘serin’’ (Canary) appears to be synonymous 
with “‘muff’’ in ours. Zebra Finches and Japan Munias 
would be suitable company for them, and all would breed. 
When nesting they should have little open baskets 
given them to build in, and some moss and cow-hair as 
building material. The eggs are pale-blue with brown 
spots, and hatch in a fortnight, this being the usual period 
with small birds. 
When the young are expected, some egg-food should be 
supplied, a crumbly paste of hard-boiled egg and biscuit, 
and salad and other green food be always on hand. Egg- 
food is also good for the birds when moulting. 
