CANARY-BIRD. 53 



previous, or else the outer shells would be 

 difficult for their tender bills to break. 



When you see that they have gained 

 sufficient strength, but not before, you 

 may gradually remove the soft food en- 

 tirely from them, and leave them nothing 

 at last but rape, yellow, millet and canary- 

 seed. They should likewise have placed 

 in their boxes or founts, but only occa- 

 sionally, a small portion of hemp-seed, 

 bruised with a roller, which is nutritious 

 at all times if given sparingly, but espe- 

 cially the best for them in the winter 

 season. 



It has long been, and still continues a 

 matter of contention among professional 

 bird-fanciers whether birds brought up 

 by hand, or those reared from the nest, 

 are the strongest and best songsters? 

 Some assert the former, predicating their 

 position on the extraordinary attention 

 they receive from the rearer; while others 

 insist that those raised by the birds are 

 the most preferable. My own opinion is 

 5* 



