Tests of Sex and Age. 73 



carriage, action, and voice are the most reliable data. The cock is, as a rule, larger and more 

 massive than the hen, is bolder and more energetic in his movements, and, in the flight, bustles 

 about in a commanding sort of way as if anxious to impress the looker-on with the idea that he 

 is the superior animal. Put him in a cage alone for a few minutes, and his carriage is bold and 

 defiant, his chirp clear and ringing, his action quick and decisive and full of fire. The hen is, on 

 the contrary, smaller and more delicately built, is shorter and more chubby, has a neater head 

 and a softer and quieter eye, is less demonstrative in her movements, and, when put into a cage 

 alone, hops backwards and forwards in a quiet way with a soft, plaintive chirp. The cock, under 

 similar circumstances, seems to pull himself together, tightens his feathers, and stretches himself 

 out, while the hen is still all over the same hen : she doesn't seem to know why she 'has been thus 

 isolated, and her demeanour is melancholy rather than fiery and rebellious. Many fanciers of our 

 acquaintance can tell a hen immediately by her hop and soft "cheep," or failing that, by her head 

 and eye. We might add that the head of the cock is longer and looks narrower, and experienced 

 breeders can tell the sex of birds in the nest at a glance by this token alone. Possibly much of 

 this may seem to the uninitiated to point to distinctions without a difference ; but, as we stated at 

 the outset, some of the distinctions are subtle, and such as only experience and accurate observa- 

 tion can determine. They exist, however, and to the educated eye are palpable enough, and in 

 mastering them lies the difference between judge and no judge. 



In the case of adult birds a mistake need scarcely ever be made, especially in the spring, or 

 when the birds are in condition, as an examination of the vent will quickly decide the question ; 

 that of the hen being small, and in the same straight line with the body, while that of the male 

 bird is more prominently developed. 



There is an art, too, in catching and holding a bird when any examination is required. 

 Nothing, we are told, should be done in a hurry except catching fleas; and in catching a bird there 

 should be no hurry or fluster, but a sharp, decisive pounce, and when you have him be sure you 

 keep him. To examine either back or breast, lay it in the palm of the hand, with the thumb across 

 the neck : it cannot escape ; and if two be held in this manner it is the best way, and, indeed, the 

 only way, to arrive at a correct estimate of the relative colours. To hold a bird securely without 

 ruffling the plumage, take the tips of the wings and the root of the tail between the thumb and 

 fingers, in which position he is powerless to escape. 



There is no way of determining the true age of a Canary ; but after the first year the scales on 

 the legs become larger and coarser, and a year-old specimen of any variety which does not carry 

 signs of its age in its plumage can generally be told in this way, though some birds would puzzle 

 the best judges. Year-old birds do not, however, usually " make up " so well as young ones, and 

 frequently indicate the fact by the condition of their plumage, which the experienced judge can 

 generally observe. It is not easy to define clearly in what the difference actually consists, but, the 

 legs being all alike, we think a judge could still pick out the two or three matured specimens in a 

 group of twenty, and feel pretty sure he had hit the right nail on the head in every instance. 



We now retrace our steps, and return to the subject-matter of this chapter — viz., moulting. 

 We have preferred to explore some of the small by-paths as we have come to them, knowing that 

 when followed to their termination we should have to turn back, and there was no chance of our 

 losing ourselves or coming out upon the main stream lower down, and leaving some portion of it 

 behind unexamined. We think the questions we have just discussed would be most likely to arise 

 in the mind of the fancier at this stage of his experience, and have, therefore, endeavoured to 

 dispose of them in furtherance of our plan, rather than leave a number of miscellaneous items 

 for after discussion. 

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