284 THE CASTAEY. 



sand. When the female has ceased to lay, the eggs are put 

 back in the nest to be hatched. She lays three or four times 

 a year, from April to September, and in some cases is so ardent 

 in propagating the species, as not to cease laying even during 

 the moulting season. The eggs are sea-green in colour, more 

 or less spotted and streaked with reddish brown and violet. 

 The period of incubation is thirteen days ; and if it be sus- 

 pected that any of the eggs are addled, the point may be as- 

 certained by inspection of them, at the end of six or eight 

 days. If at this period they be held up before a strong light, 

 and appear to be full of blood-vessels, they are good ; but if 

 their substance appear to be clear and transparent, they may 

 be thrown away as worthless. The male relieves the female 

 at the labour of incubation during a few hours in every day ; 

 though the latter flies back as soon as her hunger is satisfied, 

 and if the male refuses to give up his place, drives him from 

 it with beak and claws. She is probably aware that he will 

 perform his office imperfectly; will not turn the eggs suf- 

 ficiently often, or will allow them to become too hot or too 

 cold. The life of the young birds, even in the shell, is very 

 precarious; and they are often killed by the discharge of a 

 gun, the slamming of a door, or any other loud or sudden 

 noise. 



As soon as the young are hatched, a trough should be put 

 into the cage, filled with a quarter of a hard-boiled egg, chopped 

 small, mixed with a little wheaten bread, which has been 

 soaked in water, and afterwards pressed dry. In a second 

 vessel should be placed rape seed, which two hours before has 

 been boiled, and afterwards washed in cold water, to take away 

 all its pungency. For bread, some persons substitute biscuit ; 

 a change of very little real consequence. The main thing 

 to be looked to, is, that no food intended for young Canaries 

 should stand till it becomes sour. The chief occupation of the 

 male now, for some time, consists in supplying the young 

 with food ; a labour which he takes almost wholly upon him- 

 self, probably with a view of allowing the female to rest, after 

 the fatigue of incubation. If, in consequence of any accident, it 

 should be necessary to feed the young birds by hand, the best 

 food is wheaten bread, or biscuit grated fine, and mixed with rape 

 seed crushed small. A little of this food, moistened with yolk 

 of egg and water, should be given to each bird, by means of a 



