36 



canary we see in every market. The reason of this 

 is very simple. On the one hand, the Germans pay 

 great attention, and bestow much pains on the edu- 

 cation of these little songsters ; whereas, on' the 

 other, the Englishman leaves all to chance, never 

 troubling his head about the matter. ■ With us a bird 

 is left entirely to its own resources, scarcely ever 

 hearing any other note than that of its parent, from 

 one generation to another, so that we need scarcely 

 be surprised to find the same piercing loud and hars-h 

 song handed down from father to son without the 

 least change or improvement. Ear different is it, 

 however, in Germany, where the breeding of canaries 

 is quite a trade, and which, therefore, to make it 

 profitable, requires and receives as much attention 

 and thought as any other. There the greatest pains 

 are taken to,teach the young birds an artificial song ; 

 and such has been their success that it has enhanced 

 their value' some twenty per cent. Indeed, were it 

 not that they have no rivals in the matter of song, 

 they would never be able to sell the little ordinary 

 variety, which alone they breed, in England at al]. 

 As it is, thousands are now annually ^imported into 

 our country, and find a ready sale at prices varying 

 from ten to five and twenty shillings each, which but 

 for their song would not make more than eighteen 

 pence at the most." 



