CANARY FINCH. 475 



In a wild state, these birds are found principally 

 in the Canary Islands, frequenting damp places : 

 they are likewise found at Palma, Fayal, Cape 

 Verd, and Madeira : it is exceedingly subject to 

 variety, BufFon enumerating twenty-nine, and no 

 doubt many more might be added, if sufficient 

 care was taken in making observations on them : 

 they will breed freely with the Siskin and Gold- 

 finch, particularly the former ; and the pairs suc- 

 ceed best when the female is a Canary and the 

 male of the opposite species ; but with the follow- 

 ing birds the reverse is best — the Linnet, Yellow- 

 hammer, Chaffinch, and Sparrow. In the latter 

 instance it is difficult to succeed, although a fe- 

 male Canary, that has escaped from a cage, has 

 been known to bring up a brood of young, in 

 a bird pot, placed against a house, after pairing 

 with a Sparrow. Buffon observes, that the Siskin 

 is the only bird of which both sexes propagate 

 equally with the Canaries : he has also given an 

 account of the various methods of rearing these 

 birds ; which is very instructive and pleasing : 

 which we must refer our readers to, as it is too 

 long for insertion in this work, occupying above 

 fifty pages. 



They will also breed well with F. serinus, 

 and F. citrinella, which are very remarkable for 

 their song : they are said to live upwards of 

 fifteen years : it is almost needless to mention that 

 their song is very fine, and is very much admired 

 by most persons. 



vol. ix. p. ii. 32 



