32 Song Birds. 



birds. Their food cannot be better than one part 

 hemp seed to three parts of canary ; groundsel, 

 ^hickweed, or watercress being made a daily food, 

 rather than an occasional dainty, as it too often is, to 

 the bird's great injury. 



The price of Canaries is very moderate ; a very good 

 bird may be got for five shillings, and hens are not 

 generally more than two shillings. In buying them, 

 the birds which seem moderately shy, are generally 

 the best ; an inexperienced person is too apt to be 

 attracted by a very quiet manner ; they seem so tame 

 that they are bought quite eagerly, but unhappily they 

 are apt to die soon after : the too great quietness 

 being often caused by illness. 



A real good bird will make no end of a fuss ; pre- 

 tending to be a vast deal shyer than it really is, hopping 

 from perch to perch, twisting its head about, and 

 having, in fact, an infinity of pretty airs and graces ! 



Bird dealers, again, always recommend the birds 

 which sing loudly; and this to many is not at all 

 desirable ; the lower the tone the prettier and sweeter 

 many would think the song. 



An immense advantage in favour of Canaries is, 

 that they build so readily in cages. I do not know 

 anything more pretty than the little brood just leav- 

 ing the nest, the flutter of the old birds, and their 

 tremendous pride ; many a time my birds have fairly 

 called me to see. They have a peculiar clear note 



