ORDER PASSERES. 303 



are not equally apt : some learn in two, some in not less than 

 six months. Too many lessons do not ensure a more rapid 

 progress, but fatigue and often disgust the pupil. Five or 

 six a day are quite sufficient — two in the morning, two in the 

 middle of the day, and two at night. Those in the morning 

 and evening are best, as there is less then to distract attention. 

 The entire air should be repeated nine or ten times in succes- 

 sion, with any repetition of the commencement or conclusion. 

 Two birds should never be taught at once in the same apart- 

 ment. 



These birds are subject to various diseases, on which, or 

 their remedies, it cannot be expected that we should dilate 

 largely. The most usual causes of disease to these captive 

 birds, are a too rich or abundant nutriment, excess in love, 

 desires not satisfied, or the cares of their little family ; pre- 

 vention, in all such cases, as in every other case, is better than 

 cure. It is after hatching that such maladies generally de- 

 clare themselves, and the moulting is always apt to increase 

 them. A bit of steel put into their water is then very useful, 

 and it should be changed three times a week. 



It may be thought, perhaps, that we have been too ex- 

 tended in our details respecting this bird ; but, independently 

 of its beauty, docility, and talents, and the interest taken in 

 it by the fairer portion of our readers, there is much in its 

 peculiarities to engage the attention of the philosopher ; and 

 the facility of observation which we possess respecting it, ren- 

 ders our researches the more valuable and satisfactory. 



Canaries are in most general request. They are to be seen 

 in the north and south of the old continent, and in America, 

 from Canada to Cayenne, and most probably in every quarter 

 inhabited by Europeans. It is said, that in some of the 

 Antilles, they have escaped, multiplied in a state of freedom, 

 and produced a new race. 



The opposite is the figure of a finch, brought to this coun- 



