196 The Canary Book. 



servants, in a paper bag, with strict injunctions for him to 

 witness the birds pair, and to wait until they did so, and then 

 to bring the hen back with him. This was effected in the 

 presence of the owner of the goldfinch and the man ; the hen 

 was removed immediately afterwards. He told me that the 

 man was only away a little over an hour until he returned, his 

 mission being completed. The hen laid in due time, and the 

 eggs proved fruitful, and were hatched. I have heard of other 

 instances very similar. The other case happened with myself, 

 and is as follows : I once put a young goldfinch with an excel- 

 lent mule-breeding hen canary, and seeing that she was about 

 to lay, and not having observed any symptoms of attachment 

 between them, I removed the goldfinch and placed a male 

 canary beside her. In the course of a few days after this she 

 laid four eggs, incubated and hatched, and reared her progeny, 

 two of which were mules, and two canaries. I have heard of 

 another case precisely similar in character, so that I consider 

 it best not to run any risks. I have likewise had a hen lay an 

 egg without the presence of a male bird. I then introduced 

 one. She laid five eggs in all, and the last three were hatched. 

 Another case has come under my observation where a male bird 

 that had been placed with a hen was removed. Three days 

 afterwards the hen laid, and out of four eggs laid by her three 

 of them were hatched. If a hen lays an egg in the absence 

 of a male bird, and one is introduced immediately afterwards, 

 as a rule the remainder of the eggs will be fruitful. It has 

 been repeatedly asserted that cases have been known in which 

 a hen has been kept in a cage along with a male bird for a 

 few days, and the latter then removed, and that eggs laid a 

 week afterwards proved to be fruitful. This is possible, but 

 success could not be counted upon. 



MARKED CANARIES MISTAKEN FOR MTTLES OR HYBRIDS. 

 It is a common error for people to fall into who have a 

 limited knowledge of birds, to suppose that every pied or 

 marked canary is a hybrid; and hundreds of people who 

 possess common variegated canaries will tell you that they 

 are mules. 



