THE CANARY. 279 



which are uniform in colour, are considered of but little value. 

 I may notice here, that it is a mistake to suppose that these 

 varieties of colour are produced in Canaries and other hirds by 

 variety of food ; as, in point of fact, the food of wild birds, in 

 which these varieties are not observed, is far less uniform. 

 They may more probably be ascribed to an unnatural habit of 

 life, want of exercise, and the use of artificial diet. My own 

 birds, which are fed on the simplest nutriment, display those 

 varieties of colour as much as any others. 



The female is hardly distinguishable from the male, except 

 that the plumage of the latter is generally brighter in colour. 

 His head also is rather larger and longer ; the body more 

 slender; the neck not so short; and the legs longer and 

 straighter. Another special characteristic is, that the yellow 

 of the temples, and round the eyes, is always brighter than in 

 any other part of the body. 



The Canary is about the size of a Linnet ; being five inches 

 in length, of which the tail measures two and a quarter. 

 The beak is five lines in length, strong, pointed, and whitish ; 

 the feet are flesh-coloured, and eight lines high. 



The principal mule Canaries are the following: 1. The 

 mule between the Canary and the Goldfinch. The colours of 

 this very handsome bird resemble, in some degree, those of 

 each parent. The most beautiful which I have ever seen was 

 ashen grey on the crest, and silvery white on the rest of the 

 head, and the upper part of the neck. A broad orange stripe 

 surrounded the root of the beak, and a snow-white collar 

 encircled the neck. The back was greyish brown, streaked 

 with black ; the under part of the body, including the rump, 

 white. The vent, the wings, and the first pen-feathers are 

 white ; the rest, as well as the coverts, black, edged with 

 yellow, and having a golden yellow spot in the middle of the 

 wings. The tail was white, with a black spot at the side ; 

 the beak white, with a black tip ; and the feet also white. 

 The mother of this bird was white, with a greenish grey crest ; 

 and it may generally be remarked, that the most beautiful birds 

 are the offspring of a Goldfinch and a yellow or white Canary. 



2. The mule between the Canary and the Siskin very 

 closely resembles the female Siskin, if the offspring of a 

 female green Canary. If she be white or yellow, the mule is 

 lighter in colour, but still like the Siskin in shape. 



