PASSERINE BIRDS. 113 



nestling of this species is easily recognised on account of its tints about the eyes and region of the 

 beak ; even after the young have left the nest this distinguishing feature is for some time observable, 

 and the-sexes may be thus readily ascertained. The superfluous female birds are sent early in the 

 summer upon their travels through the world in the care of an itinerant salesman, and hundreds of the 

 males are taken in October and November to be sold by wholesale dealers in large cities, or exported 

 to Russia and America. The Canaries reared in other neighbouring districts cannot equal those of 

 Andreasdorf in their song, though they are very superior to such as are obtained elsewhere. The follow- 

 ing hints may perhaps be useful to our readers in the choice of a tame specimen : — First, entirely green 

 birds, or such as are brightly marked with green, are usually very strong, and, in consequence, then- 

 voice is often disagreeably loud ; secondly, such as are of a yellowish brown or dark yellow are weakly, 

 and seldom breed ; thirdly, the variegated kinds do not often have prettily-marked young ; fourthly, such 

 as have red eyes are weak ; and, fifthly, should birds with a crest be preferred, the purchaser must be 

 careful that there are no bare spots on it. In order to ensure a good singing Canary, it is necessary to 

 procure such as have parents gifted in that respect, and during the course of instruction the bird 

 should not be allowed to hear the song of finches, larks, and nightingales, as the notes which it 

 would thus acquire would be unnatural, and therefore soon forgotten. In Andreasdorf the people are 

 most careful only to allow the young to copy the notes of such male singers as are experts in the art, 

 as should the little pupil, even when four years of age, hear a bad singer it is pretty sure to imitate all 

 its faults, and even in old age will sometimes retain this tiresome trick. The Canary will leam tunes 

 played upon an organ with little difficulty, but after a time often perform them inaccurately. We have 

 tried the experiment of placing the pupil with two old "males, and have always found it prefer to imitate 

 the bird whose song gives it the least trouble, and thus it acquires shakes and trilling notes with much 

 greater ease than the flute-like tones, or deep rolling song of the nightingale. A Canary belonging to 

 an artist residing at Bordeaux, possesses the remarkable faculty of singing whenever it feels disposed 

 with the beak closely shut, producing its song, which is very clear, apparently from the top of its throat, 

 and giving the effect, as in ventriloquism, of a voice proceeding, not from its owner, but from 

 some distance. 



The cage of a bird under tuition must be placed in such a position that it can be constantly 

 visited and instructed, and at such a distance from the window as will prevent its being disturbed, in 

 which case it is liable to become irritated, and leam to scream or sing in a very disjointed manner. 

 The diet should consist entirely of rapeseed and white bread steeped in water, so that the food being 

 simple, the pupil may not be distracted from its song by the daintiness of its fare. Green-stuff or fruit 

 should not be given to it, as producing the same result. The wires of the cage should be so close 

 together that the bird cannot stretch its neck between them and look around, and should it appear 

 inclined to try to peck at such things as bits of paper, thread, &c, these should be removed and 

 four oats given to it daily, thus affording exercise for its beak. If the Canary has been always in the 

 habit of living alone it should not be allowed to see another of its kind, or it will" immediately begin 

 to scream instead of singing gently ; but if more convenient to place it with other males, the cages 

 should be hung close together so as to enable them to be constantly aware of each other's presence. 

 When a young bird has been trained in this manner for two years, it may be considered to have learnt 

 all that it is capable of acquiring. As regards the cage, great care should be taken that it has no brass 

 or paint about it ; the floor should be strewed with sand, and the bird furnished with some atoms of 

 clay or crushed egg or snail shells. The perches are best when made from the wood of the lime-tree. 

 Great precautions are necessary to prevent the entrance of vermin into the cage, and should they be 

 detected both cage and bird must immediately be washed with linseed or rapeseed oil. Except during 

 the breeding season, the females may all be kept together in a large cage, that is, if they will live in 

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