804 BRITISH SONG BIEDS. 



olive brown ; the tips of its wings white ; the lower part of the back 

 and rump tinged with yellow, and its cheeks of a yellowish white 

 with brown spots ; and on the breast and belly larger spots of the 

 same colour likewise, on a yellowish white ground ; the tail feathers 

 brown, the two outermost tipped with white; legs yellow, and claws 

 black. The female is very similar to the male in his plumage, save 

 that she is not so brilliant in colour ; she lays five eggs of a bluish- 

 green colour, which are generally, though not always, spotted with a 

 deep reddish-brown. The first brood is mostly ready to fly by the 

 end of April. If the young are taken from the nest when half-grown 

 they may be easily reared on white bread soaked in milk, and taught 

 to whistle airs. When mature, they are to be fed with the same 

 food as the blackbird, and if out of order treated in the same manner , 

 they require a plentiful supply of fresh water, both for drinking and 

 also bathing, to which they are extremely partial. Both males and 

 females will begin to record as soon as they can feed themselves ; 

 the males will get on the perch and utter their notes in a low key, 

 while the females will perform theirs by jerks. If you are not quite 

 positive as to the sex of the birds, keep them till after moulting, 

 when the males will start into full song. The thrush's cage should 

 be large and roomy, as it is a very animated bird, and brisk in all its 

 movements. 



THE CANARY. 



These delightful little warblers are 

 not natives of Europe, having been 

 originally brought from the Canary 

 islands ; they have, however, become 

 in some measure acclimatized, and 

 are probably more esteemed by all 

 classes of people than any other spe- 

 cies of song bird. In a wild state 

 their colours vary exceedingly, some 

 being grey, others white, some chest- 

 nut, some yellow, and others blackish ; and it is by an intermixture 

 of these colours that the varieties now in fashion take their origin. 

 The yellow or white- bodied birds are the most esteemed when the 

 wings, tail, and head (especially if crested) are yellowish dun ; the 

 next valued are those of a beautiful rich yellow, with the head, wings, 

 and tail greyish; grey birds with a yellow head and collar, and 

 yellow with a greenish tuft, are also much admired. It is difficult to 

 distinguish the male bird from the female, but as a general rule it 

 may be observed that he is rather larger and longer in the body, 

 more elegant in his form, and higher in his shanks than the female ; 

 he is also longer from the legs to the vent, and particularly taper in 

 that part, and if you blow the feathers up, his vent appears larger, 

 and the orifice smaller, than in the female. Another test for dis- 

 tinguishing the sexes is their colour, the male being brighter than 

 the female, especially round his eye, where the colour is a deeper 

 yellow than any other part of his body. Those birds which introduce 



