CA]SrAKIES; THEIE CAEE AND MAISTAGEMEISTT. 5 



seeds and occasionally eat figs or other small fruits in season. In a 

 wild state they nest early in spring and again later, rearing two 

 broods. The nest, made of plant stems and grasses and lined with 

 hair and plant downs, is placed in bushes or low trees. The eggs are 

 clear green in color, spotted and clouded with deep wine red and red- 

 dish brown. From three to five eggs are deposited. 



VARIETIES. 



Variation among domesticated canaries began early, as Hernandez, 

 in 1587, speaks of the canary as wholly yellow in color save for the 

 tips of the wings. The various forms have had their origin in dis- 

 tinct geographic areas, and though some are almost extinct at present, 

 all at one time or another have had a devoted following of fanciers. 

 At present at least Idt distinct strains, with a large number of varie-, 

 ties, are known. 



The common canary is reared primarily for its song, and from it 

 probably came the roller, or song canary, a great favorite in Germany 

 and, more recently, in England. In rearing song canaries attempt is 

 made to produce males with clear, soft, pleasing songs with long 

 rolls or trills, and no attention whatever is paid to other characters. 

 These birds, therefore, are usually nondescript as regards color and 

 appearance, but care is taken in mating to secure males that are good 

 singers and females from good stock. The young birds when 

 fledged are put in rooms with birds noted for their soft song, and 

 here, through imitation, they develop their own vocal powers. Care- 

 ful watch is kept over them, and any bird developing harsh notes 

 is removed at once to prevent his corrupting the purity of tone in 

 the song of his brothers. A mechanical instrument known as a bird 

 organ, that produces liquid trills, is frequently utilized in training, 

 usually when the adult birds are silent during molt. Ordinarily the 

 room where these birds are kept is darkened, and frequently the 

 cages containing the young birds are screened with cloth to lessen a 

 tendency to objectionable loudness of song.- In six months or less, 

 their education completed, these songsters may be sold or in their 

 turn utilized in training others still younger. It is common to teach 

 these birds some simple strain or air, through its constant repetition 

 by whistling or by means of an instrument. Well-trained birds bring 

 high prices, and a fair number of these find their way each year into 

 this country. 



In the great class of exhibition birds perhaps none is more striking 

 than the Belgian canary (fig 1). Formerly known as the "king 

 of the fancy," it was reared extensively in Belgium, but of late years 

 its popularity has been on the decline. In 1911 it was said that few 

 pure-bred Belgians were to be found, and under present war con- 



