2/0 



OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



FIG. 220. Tricolor 

 Canary l 



have seen them, as greenish-gray, changing to a greenish-yellow 

 on the breast and under parts. Other observers describe the 

 wild birds of some localities as brownish. 



The canary was introduced into Europe 

 about four hundred years ago. As the story 

 goes, a ship with a cargo from the Canary 

 Islands, carrying several thousand canaries, 

 which the traders thought might be sold in 

 Europe, was wrecked off the coast of Italy 

 early in the sixteenth century. Before the 

 sailors left the ship, they opened the cages 

 containing the canaries. The birds escaped 

 to the Island of Elba and there became es- 

 tablished in the wild state. From this colony 

 of canaries birds were captured and distrib- 

 uted to all parts of Europe and America, 

 their superior song powers and adaptability 

 to domestication making 

 them popular wherever they became known. 

 The wild bird known in America as the 

 wild canary is the American Goldfinch. It 

 belongs to the same family as the canary but 

 is of a different species. It is of no value 

 as a singer. 



Improvement in domestication. Nearly all 

 the varieties of the canary were developed 

 before the eighteenth century. The German 

 canary fanciers turned their attention to de- 

 veloping the song of the bird, the Belgian and 

 British fanciers to making and perfecting 

 shape and color varieties. In Germany the celebrated Harz 

 Mountain Canaries were produced. These are simply common 



FIG. 221. Norwich 

 Canary with hood 



FIG. 2 22. Yorkshire 

 Canary 



1 The illustrations in this chapter are from " Our Domestic Animals," by Charles 

 W. Burkett. 



