18 The C^tiry. 



the most vivid kind, the former not having the least 

 mixture of brown usually found in the green birds bred 

 at home. His song, too, is entirely different from the 

 tame variety, nothing like so loud or piercing, but 

 more approaching the subdued warbling of the gold- 

 finch or linnet. Indeed it is acknowledged on all 

 hands, that the song of our domesticated birds is alto- 

 gether artificial, being little else than a compound of 

 notes learned from other birds. 



It was about the beginning of the sixteenth century 

 that the canary became first known in Europe, when 

 a ship having a large number on board, and destined 

 for Leghorn, was wrecked on the coast of Italy. The 

 birds having regained their liberty, flew to the nearest 

 land, which happened to be the island of Elba, where 

 they found so mild a climate that they built their nests 

 there, and became very numerous. But the desire to 

 possess such beautiful songsters led to their being 

 hunted after, until the whole wild race was quite 

 destroyed. In Italy, therefore, we find the first tame 

 canaries, and here they are still reared in great numbers. 

 Their original locality, however, was the Canary Isles, 

 from whence, I suppose, they derive their name On 

 the banks of small streams, in the pleasant valleys of 

 these lovely islands, they build their nest in the branches 

 of the orange-trees, of which they are exceeding fond ; as 

 an instance of this, even in this country birds have been 

 known to find their way into the greenhouse, and select 

 the fork of one of the branches of the orange-tree on 

 which to build their nest, seeming to be pleased with 

 the sweet perfume of its blossoms. 



