Lists of Birds. 151 



washing ; they eat canary and millet seed, and like 

 wide, square perches, which should be changed very 

 often for fresh clean ones. 



They do best, perhaps, in a bell-shaped cage with 

 a wooden floor, or in an aviary amidst other birds. 



8. The GERMAN CANARIES are far the sweetest 

 singers of these very sweet voiced tribes. Their prices 

 range from six shillings to ten shillings and sixpence, 

 hens about two shillings. For those who fancy trying 

 their success at rearing prize Canaries, Messrs. Green, 

 have also the thorough- bred Belgian birds, the most 

 prevailing, though odd-looking kind, from ten and six- 

 pence to thirty shillings a pair the cock and hen. 

 of these being the same price. I have not seen their 

 stock, but it is said to be good, and most places have a 

 speciality for some sort of bird. Mr. Hawkins's, for 

 example, is the place for Mule birds. In giving 

 these recommendations I do not pretend to be 

 at all infallible, only knowing it was so difficult for 

 amateurs to get good birds without knowing where 

 to go, I took a great deal of trouble, and went to a 

 great deal of expense, in buy ing birds "promiscuously" 

 at all sorts of places, till I had succeeded in discovering 

 three or four really to be recommended. 



At both Messrs. Green's and Hawkins's there is also 

 .11 large stock of cages, as good, I suppose, as any of 

 iheir respective sorts. The birds, at both these 

 places, are, as far as I know, invariably sent out in 



