THE CANARY BIRD. 71 



of yellow, but some are grey, others white, and others 

 beautifully shaded with green, But they are more 

 esteemed for their note than their colour. 



The common practice of keeping these birds in our 

 houses, as things of amusement, has made the demand 

 for them considerable, so that great numbers are rais- 

 ed and sold every year. Some account of the man- 

 ner of rearing them, may therefore be interesting to 

 the reader. 



In selecting a bird, those are best, which stand up- 

 right on the perch, appear bold and lively, and are not 

 frightened at every noise they hear, and at every thing 

 they see. If its eyes are bright and cheerful, it is a 

 sign of health, but if it keeps its head under the wing, 

 it is drooping and sickly. Its song should also be 

 particularly noticed, for there is much difference in 

 this respect : but as it often depends on the peculiar 

 taste of the purchaser, no directions can be given as 

 to this qualification. 



Canary birds sometimes hatch their young every 

 month in the year, but more commonly they breed 

 only in the spring, summer and fall months. 



In Germany, they prepare a large and expensive 

 aviary, or place in which they rear their young. This 

 is built like a barn, only that it is longer in one direc- 

 tion than in the other. At each end it is divided off 

 by a partition, making a square room. In each of 

 these rooms they plant several trees, the partitions 

 having large windows through them, so that the birds 

 can pass from these rooms into the large room in the 

 middle. The windows of these end rooms are made 

 of wire, so as to admit the air and light, and still keep 



