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is small and brown, ia distinction from the winter 

 rape-seed, whicli is sown in tlie autumn, and which 

 is large and black. This seed alone agrees with 

 canaries as well as with linnets : but to give them the 

 pleasure of variety a little bruised hemp, or canary, 

 ■or poppy seed, is added to it, especially in the spring, 

 when they are intended to breed. Indeed, a mixture 

 of summer rape seed, oatmeal and linnet, or canary 

 •seed, may be given them as a great treat ; but what- 

 ever seeds they may have, they equally require green 

 food, as chickweed in spring, lettuce and radish leaves 

 in summer, endive, watercress, and slices of sweet 

 apple, in winter. As to that whimsical and com- 

 plicated mixture prescribed and used by many people 

 •of rape, millet, hemp, canary seed, whole oats and 

 oatmeal, poppy, lettuce, plaintain, potentilla, and 

 pink seeds, maize, sugar, cake, hard biscuit, cracknels, 

 buns, and the like, so far from being wholesome, it 

 injures the birds in every respect. It spoils their 

 taste, weakens their stomachs, renders them feeble, 

 sickly, and incapable of bearing moulting, under which 

 they most frequently die. It is true, they may be 

 accustomed to eat of everything which comes to table, 

 but to teach this habit is also to prepare a poison for 

 them, which though slow is not the less sure, and 

 brings them to a premature death ; whilst every day 

 we see bird-fanciers who are poor, who hardly know 



