15 



to this by a frequent use of a little pipe or other instru- 

 ment played to them, the young ones had sufficient op- 

 portunity of being fully educated. They would take 

 some notes from each bird in whose neighborhood they 

 happened to be located ; and by agreeably mixing these 

 notes, the canary has attained such a beautiful and varied 

 song, which each family transmits to its descendants. 



When the composed song of the canary was thought 

 completed, the use of other birds was not deemed 

 necessary, as the young ones now learned from their 

 parents ! but great care has been taken to hold up the 

 most agreeable and varied song, also to avoid all false 

 and unpleasant notes, which the bird, on hearing, is 

 very apt to take up. Instead of a succession of noisy 

 bursts, the bird must know how, with a silvery, sono- 

 rous voice, to descend regularly through all the tones of 

 the octave. The most admired notes are the bow-trill 

 (bow-roll), the bell note, the flute, the water-bubble, the 

 nightingale note, wood-lark note, &c. ; the whole song 

 must consist of about twenty different notes. It is neces- 

 sary' that, to raise such birds, the breeder must be a good 

 judge himself; he must look out not to put any birds to 

 breed who have unpleasant notes ; he must also keep one 

 or two of the very best singers in a single cage near the 

 breeding-room, which will be the teachers of the young. 

 Owing to long practice and experience, the German 

 breeders have been able to gather much informaction 

 respecting their singing qualities and general manage- 

 ment. This is the reason that the German canaries are 

 much superior in singing to ^ny others. 



