ORDER PASSERES. 283 



of two years old should be taken, which has never coupled 

 with females of its own race. The same should be done with 

 the female, according to some writers, but others say it is not 

 absolutely necessary. It is probable that they will not couple 

 for the first year, but that is no reason for despair. Differ- 

 ence of plumage, of cries, of song, certain disparities in habits 

 and manners, are obstacles which nothing but the greatest 

 ardour can overcome. They are also most difficult to be van- 

 quished on the part of the male canary, on which account it 

 is better to make use of females in such attempts ; they will 

 also, assuredly, produce with the males of all the birds above 

 named ; but the male canary is not equally certain with the 

 females of the aforesaid species. Tlie female canaries seldom 

 produce with strange species, but from the age of one up to 

 four years ; but with their own males, they produce up to 

 eight or nine years old — the streaked race excepted. 



The siskin, the goldfinch, and the linnet, are those respect- 

 ing which the production of the female with the male canary 

 is best authenticated. If mules are desired from these birds, 

 they must be taken on the nest, brought up by hand with the 

 canaries, fed on the same aliment, and kept in the same aviary. 

 The goldfinch, for example, which is generally chosen in pre- 

 ference, should be kept from hempseed, and accustomed, as 

 soon as he is able to eat alone, to millet and rapeseed, the 

 ordinary food of the canaries. Without this, a risk is run of 

 losing one or the other, in changing their diet. If hempseed 

 be suddenly taken from a goldfinch accustomed to it, to give 

 him the ordinary food of canaries, the change will make him 

 ill, and may cause his death. If, on the contrary, you leave 

 him the hempseed, the female canary will eat so much of it, 

 that she will get a fever, and probably die. What is said of 

 the goldfinch is applicable to all other birds destined for the 

 same purpose. It is also recommended, in the case of the 

 goldfinch, to cut the extremity of his bill dexterously, for 



