THE CANARY 
N the ocean northwest of Africa, and not two- 
hundred miles away, is a group of islands dear 
to children the world over, because from there 
came the cheerful little cage-birds of our house- 
holds, the canaries. Those privileged to visit 
the Canary Islands find them steep and rugged, 
the result of volcanic upheavals; some of the 
islands are so small as to be mere rocks jutting up 
from the sea. The highest peak of all, Teneriffe, 
is 12,182 feet high. The soil is rich, and both 
tropical and temperate vegetation flourish there; 
and all told, there is but little more land in all the 
Canary Islands than in our state of Delaware. 
The Canary belongs to the finch family, andisa 
near relative of our wild goldfinch; as a wild bird, its 
color is olive or green above, with fine blackish spots 
on head and rump, and with golden breast. Like 
our goldfinches, the canaries associate in flocks, and 
have a curved, wave-like flight. The canary nest is 
made of moss, dried grass and the down of plants, and 
is carefully concealed in a shrub or low tree, prefer- 
ably an evergreen. The nest is usually about ten 
feet from the ground. The eggs are four and five 
in number, pale green or blue, spotted with reddish 
brown. The canaries have not only summer and 
winter nests, but fall and spring nests also, and per- 
haps one or two extra to suit the season. They build 
their first nest in February or March, near the coast, 
for then the lower levels are warm and comfortable. 
By the time the first brood can fly the weather of the 
coast has become hot, so the next nest is made far- 
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