Origin of our oivn Ccmaria. 9 



tinged here and there with a yellowish green. Still, 

 for all that, she was a very pretty bird, and we were all 

 highly delighted with her purchase. We took her 

 home, as usual, in a little paper hag, which, I may 

 observe, is by far the best way of carrying a bird you. 

 purchase without a cage, and always to be had at the 

 nearest gi'ocer's shop, Avhen she evinced a most amiable 

 disposition, and soon became as tame as our original 

 dickey himself. Having thus got a hen canary, the 

 idea not very unnaturally occurred, how nice it would 

 be to have some young ones ! The thought w^as so cap- 

 tivating to the youngsters, that it soon took firm hold 

 of their minds, and culminated into an intense desire to 

 make the attempt. But how was this to be done? Our 

 house was so small, and our family so large, there was 

 no room for such a thing, seeing that canaries, w^hen 

 breeding, require not only a goodly space, but plenty of 

 light, and perfect quiet. The only room in the house 

 fit for the purpose was clearly the children's nursery, 

 and the place where the birds ought to be was already 

 taken up with bookshelves, on which were piled, besides 

 books, innumerable boxes and toys, including a four- 

 roomed doll's house, which they had made and fitted up 

 out of so many old tea-chests they had begged for the 

 purpose, and which almost reached up to the ceiling. 

 Well, what was to become of these? There was no 

 other visible place for them in the nursery. Oh, this 

 should be no obstacle in the way, they replied, if I 

 would only let them have an aviary, and remove the 

 books to the other side of the room, they would do all 

 the rest. Their much-loved doll's house should be 



