38 THE CANARY BIRD. 



Previous to doing so, we ourselves have 

 often successfully — although we know not 

 Avhether it has been sanctioned or practised 

 by others — rubbed the inside of the nest box 

 with strong warm glue, and while in a liquid 

 state allowed it to retain as much wool as 

 could be gently dipped upon it while the roll 

 was instantly lifted up. This forms a fixed 

 and warm foundation. We have also lined 

 our boxes with undressed fur, and have found 

 that although the materials afterwards placed 

 upon it were scanty, the nest was warm 

 enough for successful incubation. 



Sometimes before the young are ready to 

 quit one nest, the hen will feel a desire to 

 build another. This she will sometimes do, 

 even on the top of her young, and thus smo- 

 ther them. 



SEX. 



It is not at all times easy to distinguish 

 between the cock and hen. By an experi- 

 enced fancier, it can be done indeed at a 

 glance, and some are even able to point out 

 the cocks almost as soon as they are hatched. 



Both the size and the singing are pretty 

 good distinguishing marks between male and 

 female, but sometimes even these are not suf- 

 ficient, as many a gigantic hen has been 

 found ; and as there have been crowing hens 

 in the barn-yard, they have not been alto- 

 gether banished from the Canary cage. 



Some females, by their musical attempts, 



