CANARY FINCH. 



especially among the lower animals, depends in a 

 great measure on the perfection of their senses, 

 the Canary, whose organ of hearing is more sus- 

 ceptible of receiving and retaining foreign impres- 

 sions, becomes more social, tame, and familiar ; is 

 capable of gratitude, and even of attachment ; its 

 caresses are endearing, its little humours innocent, 

 and its anger neither hurts nor offends. Its edu- 

 cation is easy : we rear it with pleasure, because 

 we are able to instruct it. It leaves the melody 

 of its own natural note, to listen to the melody of 

 our voices and instruments. It applauds, it accom- 

 panies us, and repays the pleasure it receives with 

 interest ; while the Nightingale, more proud of its 

 talent, seems desirous of preserving it in all its 

 purity, — at least it appears to attach very little 

 value to ours, and it is with great difficulty it 

 can be taught any of our airs. The Canary can 

 speak and whistle ; the Nightingale despises our 

 words as well as our airs, and never fails to return 

 to its own wild wood-notes. Its pipe is a master- 

 piece of nature, which human art can neither alter 

 nor improve ; while that of the Canary is a model 

 of more pliant materials, which we can mould at 

 pleasure, and therefore it contributes in a much 

 greater degree to the comforts of society : it sings 

 at all seasons, cheers us in the dullest weather, and 

 adds to our happiness by amusing the young and 

 delighting the recluse, charming the tediousness of 

 the cloister, and gladdening the soul of the inno- 

 cent and captive." 



There are said to be upwards of thirty varieties 



