74 



CANARY BIRD. 



them in separate cages, and confining them to the cooling diet of water 

 and lettuce-seed, may save the lives of many : they are also subject to 

 epilepsy, asthma, ulcers in the throat, and to extinction of the voice. 

 The cure for the first is doubtful ; it is said that if a drop of blood fall 

 from the bill, the bird will recover life and sense ; but if touched prior 

 to falling of itself, it will occasion death. If they recover from the first 

 attack, they frequently live for many years without any alteration in 

 their note. Another cure is to inflict a slight wound in the foot. 

 Asthma is cured by plantain, and hard biscuit soaked in white wine ; 

 while ulcers, like repletion, must be cured by cooling food. For ex- 

 tinction of voice, the cure ought to be hard yolk of eggs, chopped up 

 with crumbs of bread, and for drink a little liquorice-root, or a blade of 

 saffron in water. In addition to these evils, the Canary is infected by 

 a small insect, if they are kept dirty. To avoid this, they should have 

 plenty of water to bathe in, a new cage, covered with new cloth, and 

 their seeds well sifted and washed. These attentions, if troublesome, 

 are nevertheless necessary to possess a thriving bird. When wild, it 

 has already been remarked, that all birds require water, and to a Canary 

 this is so necessary, that if a saucer or cup of snow be put into the cage, 

 they will flutter against it with the utmost delight, even during the 

 most severe winters. They are bred in immense numbers, both for 

 amusement and commerce, in France, Tyrol, Germany, and in this 

 country : those from Germany are in the least esteem, from their living 

 only one or two years in this country, although the cock of this variety 

 is an approved songster. 



" We might almost conclude," says Bechstein, " that the venturon, 

 {Fvingilla citvinella^) the serin, (F. sevinus,) or the siskin, (Carduelis 

 spinus,) are the wild originals of the cage Canary. I have seen a bird pro- 

 duced between a siskin and a serin, which perfectly resembled the variety 

 called the green Canary. I have also seen a mule from a grey female 

 Canary, whose true parentage could not be distinguished." I am, on 

 the contrary, convinced that the siskin, so far from being of the same 

 species, belongs to a different genus. 



The following accurate description of the Canary, taken by the late 

 Dr. Heineken from the living indigenous birds at Madeira, is too 

 interesting to be overlooked. 



" Fvingilla canavia, (Heineken.) F. hutyvacea, (Linn.) Adult 

 Male. Irides dark brown. Upper mandible fuscous, sides and tip, 

 darker; lower, livid flesh-colour. Legs, brownish flesh-colour. Front, 

 brows, line below the eyes, chin, throat, (extending backwards and 



1 Ornithologisch.es Tasschenbuch, p. 304. 



