THE CANARY. I*J 



having the song whistled by the trainer. The bird's 

 education should begin when he is six or eight weeks 

 old, or as soon as 'you can be certain, by his warbling, 

 that he is a male, and lessons given him for an hour 

 at a time, morning, noon, and before sunset. He 

 must not hear other canaries, for if he does he will 

 forget his acquired song and sing his natural song. 

 After he has thoroughly mastered the song you are 

 teaching, it should be whistled to- him, or played on 

 the organ, whenever it seems necessary to refresh his 

 memory, especially in moulting time. Piping cana- 

 ries are imported to order, from January to April, 

 when not already in stock. 



LENGTH OF LIFE. Any canary, properly bred and 

 properly fed and cared for, should live from eight to 

 fifteen years, and there are many instances where 

 they have lived over twenty years. 



Two SONS OF ERIN bought a canary, and, after it 

 was paid for, one said to me, " I suppose it will die 

 on me, now " ; and before I could reply, his friend 

 answered, " Av course it will, ye dom fool, if it lives 

 long enough." 



BREEDING BIRDS. To breed and rear canaries is 

 very easy if you have good, strong stock, and are will- 

 ing to put them together, and not inquisitively disturb 

 them. The birds you wish to mate should not be 

 related to each other and should be placed near each 

 other, the female in the breeding cage, and the male 

 in his own cage, and permitted to thus become ac- 

 quainted before occupying the same apartments. Some 

 extra nourishing food, either hard boiled egg, both 



