82 The Cananj. 



tion. As we knew we snould look in vain for such 

 among our English birds, we turned to the land of 

 song and music, and sought what we Avanted in the 

 fatherland of Germany. 



In respect of song, the German birds are as much 

 superior to those of England, or, indeed, of any country 

 I am acquainted with, as the high-bred Belgian is in 

 form to the little short stumpy 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 education 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 

 harsh song handed down from father to son without the 

 least change or improvement. Far different is it, how- 

 ever, in Germany, where the breeding of canaries is 

 quite a trade, and which, therefore, to make it profit- 

 able, 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 all. 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 



