102 CANARY-BIRD. 



that they may the more readily choose 

 their hen from among the number; a thing 

 which otherwise will be frequently of 

 some difficulty. Newly caught birds may 

 easily be tamed, by being hung very low 

 in a frequented apartment, as, in that case, 

 they soon become accustomed to society, 

 and extremely familiar. 



It is a general rule in breeding mules, 

 for the dealer to couple the hen-bird of the 

 Canary with the male-bird of the opposite 

 species. This is in fact the most usual 

 system, but some dealers prefer breeding 

 the male Canary with the female Gold- 

 finch or Linnet, asserting at the same 

 time, that the young are handsomer and 

 of finer song. This may be true; for the 

 rule is always in favour of the young 

 bird's resemblance to the father, in plum- 

 age and possession of musical abilities. 

 The young, in this latter instance, differ 

 very materially in their personal appear- 

 ance, for while many are very plain, re- 

 sembling the wild bird of the opposite 



