308 



KIDD'S JOURNAL. 



the birds' heads. Let the water be always 

 fresh and clean ; and the fountain also. 



We have remarked on a former occasion, 

 that good song birds lose much of their song, 

 when put up for breeding purposes in a cage. 

 This remark may be somewhat qualified, 

 when the sexes are associated in a room. By 

 having more freedom allowed them, and by 

 being kept in one constant round of cheerful 

 excitement, while looking out of their win- 

 dows, &c, they sometimes continue to sing 

 throughout the season. 



Some people turn a number of canaries 

 indiscriminately into a room, and leave 

 them to pair as they will. This is kind 

 — very. But it is not wise. By properly 

 pairing them, or at least some of them, 

 in small, separate cages ; and when paired 

 allowing them to come together, — each 

 swain then vows eternal fidelity, and is 

 " true," with some few exceptions, to his 

 lawful spouse. Thus alone can the peculiarity 

 of feather and caste be properly preserved. 

 Some few pairs of " odd fellows" may per- 

 haps be allowed to intermarry. It will cer- 

 tainly give every possible variety of color 

 and plumage to your stock ; and is so far 

 admissible.* 



At no time should greater care be taken, 

 than in the breeding season, to give your 

 birds good and proper food. Let the canary- 

 seed be large and glossy, and the rape seed 

 large and new. The same remark applies to 

 the Flax. These three seeds well mixed 

 together (the two last in smaller propor- 

 tions), are the proper food for a canary. 

 Bruised Hemp -seed, in very small quantities, 

 may be occasionally given. As birds, whilst 

 performing the duties of incubation, are very 

 frequently subject to constipation, boiled 

 milk, with crumb of bread soaked in it, should 

 be placed in the room at least twice a week. 

 It will do all the birds good. A saucer is the 

 best vehicle for its introduction. 

 _ If ever you perceive any of the male cana- 

 ries to be of a depraved disposition (as they 

 too often are), abusing and persecuting their 

 '' better halves ;" and showing other anti-con- 

 jugal tendencies — mark such transgressors 

 The cares and anxieties attendant upon the 

 hatching and rearing of a family, are alone 



* We are constantly being asked, by private 

 correspondents, where they can obtain cages for 

 canaries, goldfinches, linnets, larks, and night- 

 ingales, made according to our own model, and 

 fitted up with suitable baths, &c. We are now 

 prepared to refer all such parties to Mr. Clif- 

 ford, 24, Great St. Andrew Street, Holborn, who 

 has offered to undertake the speedy execution of 

 any orders entrusted to him, either for cages or 

 for birds. He is one of the very few who deal 

 honestly in the matter of a good " song bird," and 

 may be safely confided in. We have had deal- 

 ings with him for many years. 



sufficiently heavy, without the hen being in 

 addition subjected to cruel treatment. Check 

 therefore all these innate bad propensities 

 the moment you perceive them ; and get rid 

 of the offender summarily. Other suitors 

 will take his place ; and her ladyship will 

 feel herself lawfully divorced, "under the 

 circumstances.'' 



When the nests are made, the hens will 

 speedily commence laying. Do not, as many 

 silly simpletons do, trouble yourselves about 

 looking at the eggs, or about removing them 

 — substituting ivory " imitation eggs," until 

 the whole batch of eggs shall have been laid. 

 Nature abhors any interference of this kind. 

 It is desirable that the eggs should not be 

 hatched all at once. The mother can feed 

 her progeny all the better for their appear- 

 ing one by one. Besides, more warmth is 

 thereby generated for the next forthcoming 

 stranger. Believe us. all officious solicitude 

 about assisting Nature at such seasons, either 

 with birds or with ourselves, is morbid affec- 

 tation. Nature wants no such aid. Leave 

 the birds to manage their own affairs, and let 

 common- sense preside in the sick chamber ; 

 then all will be well. Birds hate to be sub- 

 ject to prying curiosity when breeding ; so 

 do all animals. Some, when thus imperti- 

 nently watched — the cat, the rabbit, and 

 others — make a point, very frequently, of de- 

 vouring their offspring the instant they come 

 into the world ! This fact speaks with a 

 loud voice. 



A canary lays, on the average, from two 

 to five eggs ; occasionally as many as seven. 

 The time of sitting is thirteen clays. The 

 duties are shared, during this period, by both 

 parents ; but, near the time for hatching, the 

 female seldom quits the nest. The male, if 

 a kind, affectionate husband, is most assi- 

 duous in feeding his " ladye love," as she sits 

 on the nest ; and excepting for water, she 

 seldom quits her post for an instant. If, in 

 her momentary absence, the expectant papa 

 should occupy her place, he will most assur- 

 edly "nap" it. On her return he will, by an 

 action of ejectment, have the shortest possible 

 notice to quit ; and woe be to him if he re • 

 sists ! Madame will enforce her demands by 

 pecks and blows. Her commands are — 

 " Stand not on the order of thy going — 

 but go ! " 



If you carefully noted the time when your 

 birds began to sit, you may very nearly anti- 

 cipate the due time of hatching. On the 

 thirteenth day, the inmate of the first- laid 

 egg will make its appearance. If after 

 three days any of the eggs remain in statu 

 quo, you had better remove them with a 

 warm hand, and place them gently on some 

 water in a basin. By their irregular move- 

 ment, or otherwise, you may pronounce their 

 contents. If alive, they will give evidence of 



