English Singing-Birds. \^- 



hlm, approach not too near the Cage, leaft by 

 a Motion of the Hand, or otherwiie, you di- 

 fturb him. It will make the Bird, tho' not 

 well, appear Sprightly, and in Health for a 

 little Time ; but if you ftand Quiet, and at 

 a proper Diftance, you may foon difcovcr 

 whether it is the Effed of Fear, or the na*-^ 

 tural Spirit of the Bird : If he Hands up bold- 

 ly, without crouching or Ihrinking his Fea- 

 thers : if his Eyes look Chearful, and not 

 Drowfy, they are good Signs of a healthful 

 Bird : But on the contrary, if he be apt to 

 clap his Head under his Wing, and ftand all 

 of an Heap, you may be Hire he is not 

 well. 



Obfervelikewife his Dung; which when . 

 he is in perfefl: Health, will be round and 

 hard, with a fine White on the Outfide, and 

 Dark within, and will quickly be dry. If he 

 bolts liis Tail like a Nightingale after he hath 

 dung'd ; or if his Dung be very thin, or of 

 a flimy White, with no Blacknels in it, you 

 may conclude he is a fick Bird. 



The nextThing we are to Regard in choofing 

 a Canary-bird^ is the Goodnefs of his Song, 

 Some of thefe Birds will open with the fweet 

 of the Nightingak^ and run through feveral 

 of that Bird's fine Notes, and End in the 7/V- 

 larks Song ; and fdme will fing only the 7//- 

 larks. Others will begin almoft like a She-- 

 larky and by a foft Melodious turn of the 



Voice, 



