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CHAPTER XXXIII. 



THK SONG CANARY. 



BY LEWIS WRIGHT. 



We have seen that the development of the Canary has taken place in many totally distinct 

 directions, which have been for the most part carried out by distinct classes or communities. Colour, 

 marking, shape, attitude, size, and crest have all in turn been cultivated with wonderful success. 

 It only remains to see what has been done in respect of the bird's song. To thousands of 

 families the Canary is, after all, chiefly known as a singing bird ; and such will like to know what 

 has been done to develop that quality, and by whom. The answers to these questions will probably 

 be found as interesting as any of the foregoing chapters. 



As we have had to go to the Continent already for one of the most curious and marked 

 varieties of the Exhibition Canary — for that triumph of attitude or "position" which is due to 

 Belgian breeders — it will not surprise even the reader to whom the subject is new, to be told that 

 the Song Canary in its perfection is a creation of Germany. It has been developed by generations 

 of careful training and careful breeding, and the best specimens are almost confined to one district 

 in the Harz Mountains. First in importance among the Harz towns as a source of supply stands 

 St. Andreasberg ; but several other places, such as Duderstadt, also breed many birds. Besides 

 this district, however. Song Canaries are largely bred in Hesse-Cassel, Thuringia, Brunswick, 

 Hanover, round Berlin, at Nordhausen, and in many other places ; also in Baden and the Tyrol, 

 which last localities at one time nearly took the lead. Of late some fair Song Canaries have been 

 bred in Spain, but on the average these birds — which chiefly go to America — are decidedly 

 inferior to the German strains. Malaga is perhaps the largest centre of the Spanish trade. 



Of late years the quality of the German songsters imported into England has fallen off 

 very seriously, and it is much more difficult than it was some time ago to obtain a really first- 

 class bird. The reasons for this are not far to seek. According to Herr Reiche, of Hanover, 

 the foreign demand was once confined to Russia, England, and Holland, which purchased unitedly 

 about 7,000 birds per annum; while Germany, including Austria, took probably about 10,000 more. 

 But. since the through lines of steamers from Bremen and Hamburgh have been established, an 

 immense traffic has sprung up with both North and South America, and these countries have been 

 known- to absorb in some years over 100,000 birds^all cocks, or presumed to be so. The 

 consequence has been a keen competition for birds, which have been bred in larger numbers 

 to meet the demand, and, as a consequence, with less discrimination. Still further, however, 

 the large buyers formerly used to visit the Harz district about the month of October, when the 

 breeders were able to select their breeding-stock with proper discrimination, and — what is of 

 quite equal importance— choose their very best songsters to keep as teachers for the new stock. 

 But the competition amongst buyers has gradually led these to pay their visits earlier and 

 earlier, until now they often appear in July, when the birds have not learnt tossing, and 

 when real selection amongst them is therefore impossible. The consequence is that many of 

 the best singers — which would have been kept at home under the old regime — are allowed 



