14 THE CANARY. 



have no sharp or harsh notes, but a long, limpid song 

 with combinations of soft shakes, bells, flutes, and 

 trills which would lull a hearer, whose nerves were at 

 a tension with business or professional cares and per- 

 plexities, to quiet moods and to sleep. While these 

 are the most expensive canary in regard to " first 

 cost," if one recalls that the bird sings probably five 

 times as much each day as any other canary, and also 

 that he generally sings right through the moulting 

 season, and that his song is really a grand production, 

 it will be understood that an owner really gets more 

 for his money than in buying any other breed. So 

 the old statement holds good, " The best is the cheap- 

 est." Because this bird is so carefully bred, year after 

 year, generation after generation, from the best strains 

 of blood, and passes through a vocal training extend- 

 ing over several months, he becomes the " brainy " 

 canary, intelligent, observing, teachable, and, in 

 many cases, very tame. He distinguishes different 

 members of the family, is usually fond of the children, 

 especially if they are tow-headed, and selects some 

 one favorite for whom he will phrase his most en- 

 chanting song at any time when the favored one 

 learns how to give him some desired cue. Some of 

 these birds sing regular scale songs and have a range 

 of nearly three octaves. 



GERMAN SUMMER RAPE is his usual regular seed, 

 and every other day a thimbleful of both parts of a 

 hard-boiled egg. Twice a week he may have a little 

 apple, and a bath as often. " If kept ten feet from a 

 window, in a two thirds light, he will sing more and 



