A Plea for the Canary. 3 



told that in reality it was only a very common bird 

 called a canary, and that the name we had given it was 

 only its own familiar designation amongst ourselves. 

 Of course they heartily laughed at the deception that 

 had been temporarily practised upon them, and con- 

 fessed their ignorance upon the subject, though they 

 had all lived in the country, and therefore more or less 

 supposed to be familiar with birds, and what is more, 

 had even been keepers of canaries themselves ! The 

 same thing has occurred over and over again with our 

 lizards, and a beautiful wild specimen brought from 

 the island of St. Helena, portraits of which are here- 

 after given. Indeed, except those engaged in the trade, 

 or in the breeding of prize birds for exhibition, few 

 people are aware of the many very different breeds and 

 beautiful varieties which are to be found amongst these 

 charming birds. 



Much has been said and written during the past few 

 years to create a taste for the aquarium and the crawling, 

 cold-blooded inhabitants of the water. With the upper 

 classes there was quite a mania for awhile to make an 

 acquaintance with the stickleback and the newt, and 

 every one was professing an interest in the gyrations of 

 a goggling gulping carp, or the mountebank antics of a 

 lively minnow ! Well ! chacun a son gout every one 

 to his taste, as the French say. These, to some minds, 

 may be interesting for a time ; but give me an aviary of 

 canaries, whose beautiful colour, elegant form, charming 

 docility, and sweet song, at once charm the eye, de- 

 light the ear, and enlist my sympathies ! To my 

 mind there is no comparison between the two, and I 



