68 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



that is is impossible for the fly to escape destruction. The foregoing 

 description, is from Lord Sandwich's voyage. Soriini, on the other 

 hand, says, that the changing of color in cameleons, is not to be 

 ascribed to the objects presented to them ; and that their different 

 affections increase or diminish the intensity of the tints, which cover, 

 and, as it were, marble their very delicate skin. 



CANARY BIRD. A native of the Canary Islands. They have 

 a variety of coloring ; some white, some mottled, some beautifully 

 shaded with green ; but they are more esteemed for their song than 

 their beauty, having a high piercing pipe, continuing for sometime in 

 one breath without intermission, then raising it higher by degrees, 

 with great variety. They are capable of surprising improvement 

 from imitation : the only art necessary with those that have no very 

 fine note, is to breed them up with one of a more melodious voice. 

 A canary bird, in London, was taught to pick up the letters of the 

 alphabet at the word of command, so as to spell any person's name 

 in company ; and this the little animal did by motions from his master, 

 which were imperceptible to every other spectator. 



CANDLE. This is a long, but small cylindrical body of tallow, 

 wax, or spermaceti, formed on a wick composed of linen or cotton 

 threads loosely twisted, and is used for artificial light in dwelling- 

 houses or elswhere. A tallow candle made of the tallow of a bullock 

 and sheep, is considered best ; that made of the fat of hogs, unless 

 chemically prepared, is soft, has an offensive odor, and emits a black 

 smoke. Candles are dipped or moulded; the former by having the 

 wick successively immersed in melted tallow, and the latter by having 

 the wick confined in a mould, and then having the melted tallow 

 poured on it. 



The Chinese obtain from the tallow-tree a kind of vegetable fat, 

 with which they make a considerable portion of their candles, which 

 are firmer than those of tallow, and free from all offensive odor ; but 

 they are not equal to those of wax, or spermaceti. Cheap candles 

 are also made of tallow, and even of grease of too little consistence to 

 be used, without the contrivance of being coated with the firmer sub- 

 stance of the tallow-tree or of wax. The surface of these candles is 

 sometimes painted red. Their wicks are made of different materials. 

 The candle makers at Munich prepare tallow candles with wooden 

 wicks, which afford about the same quantity of light as a wax candle, 

 bum also with great steadiness and uniformity, and never crack or 

 run. 



CANDLESTICK. A household utensil, contrived to hold one 

 or more lighted candles. Larger and more stately candlesticks, con- 

 trived for holding a great number of candles, are called branches and 

 girandoles, and when made of glass, lustres. The golden candlestick 

 was the richest utensil in the Jewish tabernacle. It was made of 

 solid gold, and weighed a talent ; and, according to Cumberland, the 



