1 20 Bird-keeping. 



sidered the most perfect seem to me deformed ; I do 

 not admire them at all, and they are very delicate 

 birds. The Scotch Fancy " or " Glasgow Dons " are 

 still more extraordinarily shaped ; the body quite 

 describes a curve, from the crown of the head to the 

 tip of the tail. The greatest possible contrast to these 

 is presented by the little German Canaries, insignificant- 

 looking birds, with no beauty of plumage, but famed 

 for their excellence of song. Many thousands are ex- 

 ported from the Hartz Mountains yearly, and sent to 

 all parts of Europe, America, etc. They are generally 

 short, plump birds, with very well-developed throats, 

 Many are sold under the name which do not deserve 

 it, but the true German Canary has a very soft, sweet 

 song, full of beautiful trills and shakes, and flute-like 

 and bell-like notes, not so ear-piercing as the ordinary 

 Canary's song : he will sing all day long and by can- 

 dlelight, and under most adverse circumstances, and 

 is generally very sensible, affectionate, and easily 

 tamed. 



I have kept Canaries for many years, and I find that 

 they will live very happily together, males and females, 

 all through the autumn and winter, in a cage from 

 three to four feet long, and two feet high and wide ; 

 placed on a stand surrounded by plants in pots, at a 

 south window on a landing-place, without any appa- 

 ratus for warming it. If covered up very warmly at 

 night during the cold weather, they never appear to 



