136 Bird-keeping. 



when they are a month old, they may be removed to 

 another cage ; but the soft food and crushed hemp-seed 

 must be continued till after the first moulting, which 

 generally begins when the young birds are six weeks 

 old, and tries their strength a good deal. They must 

 now be put within hearing of a good songster : they 

 will often begin to warble before they have done 

 moulting, and they will need a singing-master. A 

 German Canary, Nightingale, or Woodlark hung up 

 in a cage near, but out of sight, will teach the young 

 cocks best ; and, if they hear no other bird singing, 

 they will acquire his notes. 



It is not easy to discover the sex of the young 

 Canaries : the hens warble too, and, indeed, old hens 

 will sometimes acquire a short song, sufficiently con- 

 nected to cause them to be mistaken and purchased 

 for cocks ; but there is much more movement in the 

 throat of the cocks, and as the song becomes more 

 powerful, this is more and more exhibited. During 

 the first moulting, of course, birds require even more 

 warmth and nourishing food than at other times : if 

 the new feathers do not come easily, a warm bath 

 might do good, but it must only be given on a sunny 

 day. By degrees the young birds should be accus- 

 tomed to a cold bath, and most of them will take to 

 this eagerly when they see the old birds washing and 

 preening themselves, and will imitate them ; but some 

 will refuse to go into the bath ; and, if they are not 



