24 THE CANARr. 



would if they were put into the breeding 

 cages after having been shut up close in the 

 stop cages: too much care cannot be taken 

 in regard to this circumstance, for I have 

 frequently known birds (which being taken 

 immediately from a close box cage, and put 

 into a breeding cage, where they have had 

 water given them to wash themselves), to 

 turn very sick ; and indeed many to have 

 been lost, through not adopting the plan 

 above mentioned. 



ON THE BREEDING OF GOLD- 

 FINCH MULES. 



In order to possess handsome mule birds, 

 the breeder must provide himself with a 

 young cock goldfinch, and match him with 

 a clear junk hen canary, one that is per- 

 fectly free from black : when matched, they 

 ought to be kept together in the same cage 

 through the winter, till April, when the 

 goldfinch must be taken away from the 

 canary, and hung close to her in a separate 

 cage, till the beginning of May, feeding the 

 goldfinch on bruised hemp seed, and a little 



