XI 



THE BIRDS OF THE AVIARY 



After the large quadrupeds and the denizens each ; and these are nothing but canaries, while 

 of the poultry yard come the birds. They do the merchants are importing other beautiful 

 not guard our houses, nor carry our property, aviary birds by thousands from foreign parts. 

 nor furnish our principal food ; 

 consequently they yield the 

 palm of usefulness to the 

 other domestic animals. But 

 what do they give us in ex- 

 change ? Sunshine in the 

 house, joyous warbling in our 

 chamber, and an example of 

 tender solicitude and care for 

 their offspring surely furnish 

 compensation enough. They 

 do more ; they repay with 

 usury the affection of the 

 owners who breed them. A 

 judicious education is more 

 successful with them than 

 with other animals and is 

 very lucrative. By beginning 

 with a couple of fine birds 



any one, no matter how little 



experience he may have, can 



safely devote himself to this 



branch of industry, and will 



soon obtain from it very 



pretty profits. Naturally this 



requires faculty, and, above 



all, patience. 



Germany, in the Hartz 



Mountains, and England, — at 



Norwich, for example, — have 



shown us how much can be 



done. The raising of canaries 



in Germany has become a 



flourishing industry, and cer- 

 tain districts in England do 



a great business in English 



canaries of a special color. Many persons will Besides the profits they bring in, there are 



be surprised to hear that the latter are fre- other advantages of having birds in a house. 



quently sold for from thirty to forty dollars The songs and joyous flutter of these little 



263 



Wild Canaries and their Nest 



