26 The Canary. 



delighted beyond measure with our success, but judge 

 of our astonishment and dismay when, on first exhi- 

 biting our splendid prize, he only met with qualified 

 admiration and praise. From want of eyes to see, and 

 knowledge and taste to appreciate our illustrious 

 stranger's beauty, some said he was only " very well," 

 while Agnes, whose taste is generally very good, openly 

 declared, "there was nothing to make such a fuss 

 about " in him ! How it was they failed to see him in 

 the same light that we did, when we first saw him in 

 the dealer's shop, I cannot tell, but we consoled our- 

 selves with the reflection, that it was " useless to throw 

 pearls before swine," whilst they now confess with 

 Judy and myself that truly he is a beauteous bird. 



The first hen we bought of this breed, and which, 

 like the one in our picture, was a light grey, came to 

 an unfortunate and untimely end, which, inasmuch as 

 it may serve as a caution to others, I may as well 

 relate. Being of a very tame and amiable disposition, 

 she naturally became quite a pet with the children, and 

 soon learned to leave her cage and fly about the nursery, 

 and perch upon their hand without the smallest fear. 

 Every day, as soon as they came home from school, the 

 cage-doors were immediately opened, and out flew the 

 birds, which thus had their liberty for several hours 

 a day, much to our youngsters' admiration and delight. 

 Unfortunately birds were not the only pets in the house, 

 for Judy had another in the shape of a very fine large 

 grey tabby torn cat, whom for his noble appearance and 

 many good qualities she has named after the greatest 

 of Roman generals, " Drusus." Whether he merits so 



