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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



Air," at Welling, This was done some seven 

 or eight years ago, in the same county. A 

 paper-maker, living in a cottage near the Messrs, 

 Balston's paper-mills at Maidstone, bred them 

 in large numbers, and they flew about the cherry 

 orchards around his cottage for some distance. 

 The cottage still remains, but not the birds, I 

 forget what became of them, but I believe a great 

 number of them were shot. The cottage still 

 bears the name of the " Canary cottage," and is 

 beautifully situated on the banks of the Med way. 

 The truth of this any one at Maidstone will 

 verify. I see all sorts of questions are put to 

 you and answered ; you are called " such a kind, 

 dear creature," that I shall put one myself, now 

 that I am a subscriber. I have a pet canary. It 

 may be one of the same family I have spoken of, 

 at Maidstone. It came from that place. I 

 believe it is a last year's bird, and a good singer, 

 I have a wish to have one nest from him. To 

 carry out my intentions, I gave 2s, for a hen, in 

 the Seven Dials, which died the next morning. 

 I then gave the same party 3s, for another. 

 This time, I think, it is a good one. I put two 

 cages together, not wanting to buy a breeding 

 cage. After a little chattering and fighting, 

 they soon made a nest, and four eggs appeared, 

 After sitting about fourteen days, I heard a great 

 deal of chatter and soft talk, about five o'clock 

 one morning. On looking into the cage, I found 

 two eggs brought to the front cage and broken in 

 pieces. The other two were thrown out, and 

 under the nest, but not broken. All were 

 bad, — what does all this mean? Have I done 

 anything wrong, or left anything undone? I 

 must say greater attention could not be paid by 

 any husband. He seemed delighted whilst feed- 

 ing his lady, or whilst sitting on the nest ; for 

 which indeed he was not very well rewarded. She 

 left the nest only for water, that I could see ; 

 and seemed quite distressed when all turned out 

 so bad. I have let them fly about for a day, and 

 they are both looking very well and lively. The 

 cock bird sings again. I have properly cleaned 

 the cages, and am now trying again. Already I 

 think a nest is being made. A few angry words 

 take place now and then, but a great deal of soft 

 talk as well. In reading your Papers, I expect 

 to find some hints that will be applicable to my 

 case. If so, I shall not expect any mention of 

 my complaints. Should such not be the case, 

 pray do tell me if I have any chance of better 

 luck this time? I really did not think broken 

 eggs instead of young birds could give me so 

 much pain. How is it your Journal is so 

 difficult to get ? I have wandered from street to 

 street, till I was almost in despair about getting 

 it at all. At last, I found it at your publisher's 

 in the Strand. — Willtam C. 



[We have printed your letter in full, because 

 very many young beginners find their birds serve 

 them in the same way. Novices no longer, your 

 canaries will hatch safely enough the second 

 time. We would, however, recommend your 

 procuring a cheap breeding-cage. It is better 

 adapted for the purpose than the two small 

 cages. If you read our " Treatise on the 

 Canary," you will therein find all you want to 

 knoAV. We had heard about the canaries of 

 Maidstone ; but were not acquainted with the 



particulars. Order this Journal regularly of 

 your nearest bookseller; and if he does not send 

 it you, call for it.] 



" Imitation" in the Blackcap. — The powers of 

 imitation inherent in this beautiful songster are 

 remarkable. We have at this time in our garden 

 a striking example. Last summer, a boy was 

 employed in an adjoining nursery ground, who 

 was in the habit of whistling from morning till 

 night. It was perfectly delightful to listen to 

 him. Never was boy so cheerful. Songs, polkas, 

 and quadrilles he would run over with admirable 

 precision, giving them their full force. Among 

 other accomplishments, he could with such ex- 

 actness . imitate the notes of the nightingale, 

 thrush, and blackbird, that we were often puzzled 

 to distinguish the boy from a bird ! Just at the 

 period I am speaking of, a blackcap had a nest 

 of young in our garden. Amongst the boy's favo- 

 rite pieces was the first part of " Kory o' More; " 

 also a polka. These he invariably whistled in 

 snatches, scarcely ever attempting to conclude an 

 air. Now for the object of this communication. 

 This year, we have been as much amused as 

 surprised to hear a blackcap in our garden 

 whistling snatches of extraordinary tunes, — and 

 among them the favorite " Kory," given with 

 perfect correctness, and con spirito. He con- 

 cludes with part of the " polka." So exactly 

 does he imitate the intonation of the boy, that 

 our servant for an instant imagined it was he; 

 but on looking to be satisfied as to the fact, there 

 was the bird himself in the garden. Till within 

 the last week or so, this little fellow has been in 

 the habit of singing immediately under my 

 window, waking me as early as four o'clock. 

 This is certainly curious, — and being no less 

 true, it deserves to be recorded in the Public's 

 '' own Journal." — Angelina. 



[Blackcaps have singular powers of imitation, 

 and if brought up from the nest under any bird 

 of song, they would copy every note faithfully. 

 We formerly possessed one of these birds, who 

 often puzzled us as described above. Whether 

 we were listening to a thrush, a canary, a black- 

 bird, or a titlark was, at times, a mere matter 

 of guess.] 



Fairy Rings. — At page 282, Vol. I., your Cor- 

 respondent " P. G." asks for some information 

 about " Pairy Eings." The following, from the 

 Magazine of Natural History, will no doubt be 

 acceptable: — " It is asserted that these rings are 

 occasioned by centrifugal fungi, which the ground 

 is capable of producing only once; and these 

 drop their seeds outwards, extending the rings 

 like circles in the water. Pungi I conceive to 

 be the effect and not the cause of these rings ; 

 and ground producing fungi once is not inca- 

 pable of reproductiveness. This, the possessors 

 of mushroom beds well know; for simply by 

 watering, they will reproduce exuberantly with- 

 out fresh spawn for many years. Besides, we find 

 all these fungi without rings plentifully; but 

 rarely without some visible (and never perhaps 

 without some latent) -excitement, — such as dung, 

 combustion, decomposition of wood, or weeds. 

 Indeed, the seeds of fungi are so absolutely im- 

 palpable, that I have sometimes thought they are 



