ORDER PASSERES. 299 



than others, and from such the eggs should be withdrawn 

 before the little ones are excluded, and given to more 

 careful nurses. The grey canaries are the best for this, and 

 their own eggs may be thrown, for the loss is not great, 

 as they never produce but very common colours. The 

 female mules are still better, as they are equally good 

 nurses, and no risk is incurred in consequence of their own 

 eggs being so very rarely productive. In the country you 

 may even put the eggs of the canary into the nest of a 

 wild goldfinch, removing its eggs, having first ascertained 

 that they are in the same stage of incubation, which is easily 

 done by breaking one of them. The goldfinch will hatch 

 the others ; and when the young are fit to be fed by hand, 

 you may take them away. The adopted father and 

 mother will even continue to feed them if you place the 

 nest in a low cage in the neighbourhood ; for this purpose 

 the goldfinch is the best bird, for linnets and chaffinches will 

 abandon their nest if the eggs be touched. The chaffinch 

 indeed can distinguish strange eggs, and will fling them out 

 of the nest. The greenfinch might certainly feed the young 

 canaries, as it disgorges in the same manner as their own 

 species; but the nature of its food is destructive to the 

 canaries. 



If a female fall sick or abandon the young a few days 

 after they are excluded, and you have another female to 

 give them to, you may take a nest of very young sparrows, 

 and put a few of them in with the little canaries, to keep up 

 their natural heat. They should be covered with a little soft 

 lamb-skin, if the weather be cold, and fed carefully. As for 

 the sparrows, their food should be of an ordinary kind, to 

 prevent their growing too big. 



Such are the most usual accidents with canaries in a 

 brood-cage ; but they are very rare if the birds are kept 

 in a cabinet or large aviary. 



