Miscellaneous. 191 



larly that of the linnet, which is sweet and melodious; but if 

 you wish them to acquire another song differing from their 

 natural lay, you must remove the birds you desire to be taught 

 at an early age, and place them where they can hear the song 

 of no other bird than the one whose notes you wish them to 

 learn. They can be taught to imitate flutes and other musical 

 instruments, likewise an instrument called a bird-organ, which 

 is mostly used for teaching them. One tune only should be 

 played in their hearing daily, until they have acquired it 

 properly, and when a second air is introduced the first one 

 should be repeated at short intervals. 



CANARY OB CANARY MULE FOR SINGING. " Which kind of 

 bird do you recommend for singing a canary or a canary 

 mule ? " This is a question which is often asked. I invariably 

 recommend to all those who appeal to me for an opinion on this 

 subject, a dark mule bred between a goldfinch and a canary, or 

 a linnet and canary, as they are very handsome, lively, and 

 hardy, and when they happen to get smoked or soiled, they do 

 not show the dirt like a yellow or buff or pied canary ; beside, 

 their song is more mellow and less shrill. They are usually 

 long-lived birds, not being subject to sexual changes, and this 

 is another advantage in their favour. A male goldfinch mule 

 is easily distinguished from a female by the rich deep orange 

 colour that encircles the beak and emblazons the breast after 

 it has moulted. In the female the colours are much paler. 



THE BEST YARIETY OP CANARIES FOR BREEDING FOR 

 PRIZES. It is often asked which variety of the canary is best 

 for breeding a few prize birds. Good birds of any variety are 

 difficult to breed, and some men are not fortunate enough to 

 breed prize birds until they have had some years* experience, 

 and have succeeded in establishing a strain upon which they 

 can place reliance. So far as the varieties are concerned, it 

 is probably about as difficult to breed prize birds of one variety 

 as another. Cinnamons, Crested Norwich, Lizards, and York- 

 shire Fancy are, in my opinion, the best kinds for a novice 

 to select for a commencement, but the fewer varieties a fancier 

 keeps the greater are his chances of success. 



