BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 16T 



Various anecdotes might be given respecting the 

 docility of these birds. We shall only notice the 

 following, which took place at a public exhibition 

 of birds. One canary, acting the part of a deserter, 

 ran away, while two others pursued and caught 

 hini. A lighted match being given to one of these, 

 he fired a small cannon, and the little deserter fell, 

 and lay on liis side as if dead : another bird then 

 appeared, with a small wheel-barrow, for the pur« 

 pose of carrying off the dead body; but, on the 

 approach of the veliicle, the little deserter started 

 instantly to his feet. 



We have reason to think the canary-finch might 

 be naturalized to our climate, as we remember to 

 have seen, a few years ago, during the summer 

 months, a pan* of these birds flying about at liberty. 

 Perhaps they were let loose by some person to try 

 an experiment whether they would breed or not; 

 and we supposed they had built a nest, from their 

 being frequently observed flpng in and out at the 

 same spot, which was on a rocky precipitous bank 

 at St. Bernard's Well, near Edinburgh. We do 

 not know what became of these birds; for, we re- 

 gret to say, they were cruelly disturbed by idle 

 boys throwing stones at them. 



