they think how best they might contrive to 

 keep them well, and make them happy in 

 their confinement. When they died, as the 

 saying is, "there was an end of them," and 

 their places were quickly supplied with 

 others. Miserable bird-fanciers, these I 



Nor is due attention to the proper sizes 

 of your cages the only thing required. The 

 birds' perches must be well arranged, and so 

 fixed as not to interfere one with the other. 

 By no other method can you keep them, and 

 consequently your birds' feet, clean. The 

 water, too, must be changed in summer twice 

 daily ; and the seed looked to every morning. 

 The gravelly sand, also, must be changed 

 thrice weekly, and the birds' claws kept 

 neatlv cut. 



In the matter of food, we should recom- 

 mend a constant variety, in addition to the 

 regular diet — such as egg, boiled hard ; let- 

 tuce, duckweed, groundsel, &c. ; but no 

 sugar. A little Clifford's German paste, 

 now and then, mixed with grated stale bun, 

 is an agreeable change for your canaries, gold- 

 finches, and linnets. 



An reste, — let your good sense be in active 

 exercise day by day. Observation will tell 

 you what your birds like, and what deranges 

 their stomach. They are easily pleased, 

 and as readily tamed. If you study them, 

 they will study you. Above all, remember 

 to keep them in every respect as clean, and 

 give them as much change of air and scene 

 as you would your own children. They 

 will render you in^ return the affection of a 

 child. 



It would be quite unnecessary to travel 

 out of our road to select any particular song- 

 ster to commence with ; as all will receive 

 due notice in turn. However, as the Canary 

 is associated with our earliest and happiest 

 reminiscences, and as certain of his tribe 

 have been our constant companions from 

 boyhood upwards, we feel inclined to give 

 him precedence over all others. Our first 

 consideration will therefore be of 



THE CANARY. 



Of all cage birds, this appears to be the 

 general favorite. There are very few fami- 

 lies, comparatively speaking, in which he is 

 not to be found domesticated. Nor is it to 

 be wondered at ; for his natural disposition 

 is to be friendly and affectionate, and he will 

 sing anywhere. 



Although originally a native of the Canary 

 Islands, the canary has been so long natu- 

 ralised in this country, that he may truly 

 be pronounced an English bird. When 

 first introduced here, he was very tender, 

 delicate, and difficult to rear ; but the race 

 are now robust, and among the heartiest of 

 the feathered tribe if properly tended. They 



will even live in our gardens, and breed in the 

 open air, as we propose to show in a distinct 

 article at an early day. This is a most im- 

 portant feature in the natural history of the 

 canary. 



The great marts which supply London and 

 the provinces with canaries, are Norfolk, and 

 some parts of Yorkshire. The Norwich 

 birds are celebrated for their high color, and 

 freeness of song ; also for their liveliness and 

 trim plumage. They are, however, very 

 tender, and apt to fall sick. The Yorkshire 

 birds are splendid songsters ; but they are 

 not handsome, either in form or plumage, 

 and their colors are bad ; neither are they so 

 lively as the Norwich birds. However, their 

 voices are infinitely finer, they sing more 

 steadily, and with more harmony, while their 

 constitution is wonderfully strong. 



These birds arrive in considerable num- 

 bers — very many thousands of them in one 

 week, immediately before the season of 

 Christmas. They are sent to the written 

 order of the various dealers in London, who 

 await their arrival at the railway stations, 

 and attend to their little wants immediately 

 they are delivered into their safe custody. 

 The principal dealers reside in Great St. An- 

 drew Street, Holborn, and its immediate vici- 

 nity. All persons who are anxious to secure 

 good birds should pay an early visit here ; 

 but we must advise great caution as to where 

 and with whom they deal. 



The best time to select your birds is by 

 gas-light. They will be found all ranged in 

 cages round a large square room. To keep 

 them in a state of excitement, a quantity of 

 peas are placed in a wooden box, which is 

 then rattled violently backwards and for- 

 wards. This noise, for it is nothing better, 

 puts the birds on their highest mettle ; and 

 every one of them, resolved on not being out- 

 done, sings bravely against his fellow. This 

 is the time to test your judgment. If you 

 have a fine ear, and a quick eye, you will 

 readily detect the best songster of the lot. 

 Do not be in a hurry, but show a state of the 

 utmost repose ; neither let the dealer know 

 where your heart is set. Take at least half 

 an hour before you finally decide. Some- 

 times a very extraordinary song-bird has a 

 damaged tail, and an otherwise defective 

 plumage. This is nothing, if he be in other 

 respects perfect. By drawing his feathers, 

 you can quickly reinstate his beauty. Three 

 short weeks will suffice to regenerate him 

 entirely. By proper management you may 

 pick out a first-rate bird, at a cost not ex- 

 ceeding a crown-piece. If we might advise, 

 we should say, sacrifice color to accomplish- 

 ments — you will never repent it. Nature 

 seldom gives us rare beauty and great accom- 

 plishments united. 



When you have selected your birds, one 

 or more, and looked to their legs and feet, to 



