286 THE CANARY. 



to put an old tamed male of one of these species, with a female 

 Canary ; as, although a female of some other bird might not 

 reject the advances of the male Canary, she would feel a 

 repugnance to laying in an artificial nest. The offspring of 

 such connexions inherit the plumage of both parents. The 

 mules of the Canary with the Linnet and Goldfinch are excel- 

 lent singers ; while those with the Siskin and the Lesser Redpole 

 are valueless in this respect. They are all to be treated like 

 Canaries of a pure breed. All these bastards are said to pro- 

 pagate their kind ; and with regard to the Goldfinch and Siskin 

 mules, the fact is well ascertained. It may be noticed, 

 however, that the eggs of the first year are no larger than 

 peas, and the young birds very small and weak. This is a 

 defect which is less observable in every succeeding brood. 



The young Canaries have been able to feed themselves 

 in a fortnight, and in some cases sooner, they then begin to 

 twitter ; though, even at this early period, the male may be 

 distinguished from the female by the more connected character 

 of his song. If a young bird is to be taught to whistle, it 

 should be now separated from its comrades, and confined in a 

 small wire cage, which should be covered at first with a linen 

 cloth, and afterwards with some thicker material. A short 

 air should then be either whistled, or played on a flute or bird- 

 organ, within its hearing, five or six times a day, especially in 



Sparrow, the Chaffinch, and the Yellowhammer ; though, from the differ- 

 ence of appearance and food, it is by no means easy to bring this about. I 

 myself have never observed any sexual desire between Yellowhammers 

 and Canaries of either sex, although resembling one another in appearance 

 so closely, that the difference of species was hardly perceptible. I have, 

 however, known cases in which an ardent Bullfinch has paired with an 

 equally ardent hen Canary, though, with every care, it is very seldom that 

 the eggs prove fruitful and produce young. I am informed by Dr. JASSAY, 

 of Frankfort-on-the-Main, that he has bred mules between a male Bull- 

 finch and a female Canary ; the eggs, however, having been hatched by 

 another Canary. It is necessary, in this case, to select females which have 

 no crest, as the offspring are distinguished by very large heads, to which 

 a crest is a very doubtful ornament. " My Bullfinch," says he, " is so 

 fond of his mate, that he cries incessantly when I remove him from her, 

 and will not behave himself sociably with any other bird. I possess also 

 a male Nightingale, which has long lived and sung in the same cage as a 

 female Canary. They were both so ardent last spring, as to pair in my 

 presence, but the eggs proved unfruitful. Should the same thing occur 

 again, I will put the eggs under some other bird." 



