38 



and, consequently, the recovery of natural vigour in either sex ; 

 upon the achievement of three successful broods, the fourth is usually 

 prevented, or at least discouraged. 



Thus we find young German cocks of very pronounced advance- 

 ment in singing exposed for sale in our bird-shops while our own 

 youngsters are still at their elementary studies, and our old birds are 

 still weak from moult. These early importations are offered at very 

 low prices, and might at the first thought commend themselves to- 

 speculative minds as fit teachers to our backward, handsome 

 Norwich or Yorkshire breeds. This is, unfortunately, not always 

 realizable. The G-erman yearling has learned a great deal, even 

 earlier than October ; he would, no doubt, have improved in accom- 

 plishments if kept in his native surroundings, but let him hear the 

 easy incipient "chow chow" of pupils intended to be educated by 

 him over here, and behold ! he himself becomes the pupil, and will 

 soon outdo them all in shouting and "chopping," and learniDg every 

 strange note he hears in his new home, so that instead of teaching 

 good work he learns evil. 



Quite another thing it is when the buyer can " spot " among 

 the early arrivals a two-year-old bird, who has accidentally moulted 

 early, and has recovered his fall singing- power by the time he 

 reaches our shores ; these are very desirable birds to acquire, as their 

 song is established, and will be found of use in teaching young birds, 

 without detriment to his own song. 



Equally good work may be done by later importations, but the 

 surest way to improve the British yearling is to keep them under old 

 Germans from the time they leave the parents until Christmas. By 

 that time they have learned as much of the foreign language as they 

 are capable of. 



I have thus far said nothing about the young hens,' but it must 

 not be imagined that they are left uncared for all this time. An 

 acquaintance of mine, who is an authority on the subject, sums this 

 matter up as follows : the quantity of song to be obtained from the 

 young stock depends on the condition of the canary mother's health ; 

 the quality depends on her descent. You cannot expect robust off- 

 spring from a hen weakened by careless winter treatment, nor can 

 you raise progeny worthy of being trained from a mongrel mother, 



