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FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



on account of their beauty and song. These mules mated 

 again with the female Canary are prolific. Among the 

 varieties of birds employed in producing mules may be 

 mentioned the Linnet, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Siskin, Bed- 

 pole, and Bluebird, besides several other varieties. 



Before placing the male and female Canary together, this 

 precaution should be taken: The female should be put in 

 the breeding-cage and hung on one side of the room, while 

 the male should be suspended directly on the opposite side 

 of the room, in a separate cage, in sight of the female. 

 When he sings and calls to the hen bird, and she returns 

 his call, then they can be placed together, and though they 

 may at first quarrel, it will only be of short duration ; they 

 will soon become reconciled with each other and will mate. 

 When the male is observed feeding the hen, you may be 

 certain that it is right. 



After having been mated about a week the hen will lay 

 from four to six eggs (one each day), and will sit from four- 

 teen to sixteen days, bringing out one bird per day, in the 

 same order as they were laid. Never disturb the eggs or 

 they will not hatch. 



The birds may be mated during the months of February, 

 March, or April. There should always be placed in the 

 mating-cage a piece of mortar for the formation of shell, or 

 the hen may lay soft-shell eggs. There is also required 

 some untwisted manilla rope, cut into sections of one inch in 

 length, with perhaps an addition of a small quantity of deer 

 hair, for the formation of a nest. 



After the young are hatched, if the male bird gives his 

 mate too much attention, or is quarrelsome, he should be 

 placed in his own cage until the young are nearly feathered 

 and leave the nest to feed themselves. After they have 

 perched a few nights they can be separated from their 

 mother and the male returned, and another brood reared, 

 which operation may be repeated until seven broods are 

 raised in one season. 



FOOD FOR YOUNG BIRDS. 



As additional food for young birds, besides canary and 

 rape seed, they should be allowed hard-boiled egg and 

 cracker rolled fine, and fed to them in small quantities sev- 

 eral times each day. The same food should be given to the 

 old birds during the breeding season. When the young 

 birds are able to crack seeds, which they will do at six 

 weeks of age, the soft food can be replaced by cracked seed 

 or soaked rape seed. Hemp seed should never be fed, as it 

 will kill them. 



Never allow two crested birds to pair, as their progeny 

 are liable to be bald or malformed about the head. 



One male bird will serve half a dozen hens during the 

 breeding season. This plan, in my opinion, is more certain 

 to raise young birds. The parent birds can occupy a small 

 room with nests fastened to the wall, with material handy 

 for constructing nests, also food and water. A German 

 friend pursues successfully this plan every year, and it is 

 marvelous to note his success in raising young. 



Some Canaries will neve\r mate ; nothing will reconcile 

 them. In this event another hen should be tried until one 

 is found that is disposed to assume the responsibility of rear- 

 ing a family. 



The female bird builds the nest, and the male selects the 

 location and carries the nesting material to his mate. In 

 constructing the nest the female is in constant motion, and 



by her loving manoeuvres invites her mate to the act of 

 pairing. 



The eggs are of a sea-green color, more or less spotted 

 and streaked with reddish-brown and violet. The male sits 

 on the nest, relieving the female, a few hours each day 

 during the period of incubation. Should either of them be- 

 come addicted to the vice of breaking their eggs, they 

 should be bountifully fed with egg and bread, which should 

 be constantly kept within their reach. Should they persist, 

 the eggs should be removed as fast as laid, and their places 

 supplied with artificial ones. 



When the young are hatched the male assumes the chief 

 responsibility of feeding them, which consumes most of his 

 time. 



Instances are recorded of talking Canaries. One is men- 

 tioned by Prof. Hawkins ; a bird that was exhibited in the 

 streets of London a few years ago. Mr. Sothly, in a com- 

 munication to the Zoological Society of London, gives a 

 description of a talking Canary, owned by a friend, that 

 can whistle a few bars of "God Save the King," and also 

 repeat a few words, as " Minnie," " Kiss Minnie," &c. 



Not many years ago a traveling showman will be recol- 

 lected as exhibiting, in the streets of the principal cities, 

 some performing Canaries. They were taken from the cage 

 and placed on a small stand, dressed in diminutive clothes, 

 some harnessed in a wagon, another driving, and others 

 riding in the carriage. At a given signal the coach started, 

 and at the ringing of the bell they stopped to be put into 

 their cage. They were again placed upon the table to ex- 

 hibit their proficiency in drill. All were arrayed in regi- 

 mentals, guns being held in one claw, one bird acting the 

 part of drill-master, and when he whistled a few notes the 

 soldiers hopped on the other foot, keeping time. Finally 

 the performance ended by one of the number firing a diminu- 

 tive cannon. 



Dr. J. M. Bechstein, in his " Natural History of the Birds 

 of Germany," and who is an acknowledged authority, relates 

 the following instance of their sagacity, and remarks that 

 instances are known in which they have not only been taught 

 to repeat short words distinctly, but to distinguish colors, 

 numbers, letters, &c. He also says : " I once saw a female 

 in possession of a person named Jeanlot, of Befort, in Alsace, 

 which selected from the alphabet, and placed in order, the 

 letters of certain words, added, subtracted, and multiplied 

 in German, and indicated, by means of numbers, the exact 

 time of a watch. He had also three males with him, which 

 were able to select letters and numbers which were named. 

 Hunger had been the chief means used in the education of 

 all." 



DISEASES AND TREATMENT. 



Canaries are subject to diseases as well as the human 

 family, which also yield to medicinal agents. 



Moulting is a critical period, and great care should be 

 exercised at such times to keep them from being exposed to 

 drafts of air, and to see that they are abundantly supplied 

 with food and water ; a change in diet is very beneficial. A 

 piece of boiled carrot should be given them often, also a 

 little hard boiled egg, which should be left on the shell, for 

 this will keep it moist longer than if crumbled in a dish. 

 A little saffron put in water will assist them to cast off their 

 plumage, and a nail dropped into their water will serve as a 

 tonic. As a consequence of moulting improperly, it is not 

 uncommon for them to suffer from loss of voice ; a change 



