42 THE CANARY BIRD. 



Five or six lessons a day will be sufficient ; 

 more will only fatigue the bird. They may 

 be divided in the following manner : two 

 lessons in the morning, the earher the better, 

 one or two in the middle of the day, and two 

 in the afternoon or evening. At each lesson 

 the tune must be played eight or nine times 

 over, and care must be taken to play it 

 through. 



You must not attempt to teach two in the 

 same room unless they are in the same cage ; 

 and as soon as you have finished, take one 

 where he cannot hear the other, as they soon 

 begin to practise what they have heard, and 

 will lead each other into error. 



In short, the whole bringing up a bird to 

 sing well, depends entirely upon visiting him 

 early, and furnishing him the last thing 

 before you leave him, with what he is to eat 

 for the day. He should be supplied daily 

 with fresh water in his fountain, and small 

 gravel at the bottom of his cage ; but short 

 allowance in eating is absolutely necessary 

 to make him a good songster. 



The mealy, splashed, or green birds, are 

 better and stronger than the jonquil, and con- 

 sequently, best adapted to a mode of teaching 

 them, which requires some degree of severity. 



Many Canaries are sullen, unsociable, and 

 untractable ; appearing thoughtful, sad, and 

 melancholy, singing seldom, and their song 

 short and inharmonious. These birds, if not 

 put under high spirited, courageous old birds, 

 of strong song, are worth but little. Give 



