33 



TRAINING. 



When the young German Canaries are removed from the room in 

 which they first saw the light, the cocks are relegated to the largest 

 available flight cage. The best old song bird in their owner's 

 possession has not been allowed to breed that season, and is therefore 

 full of ardour and song, and ready to become the schoolmaster of the 

 young hopefuls. When it can be afforded, a second tutor is reserved, 

 and both these are placed in the room with the young birds, so that 

 they may hear as many song variations as possible. These birds sing 

 most industriously for months together, sometimes right through 

 their moult, but it must not be supposed that the one or two school- 

 masters alone are responsible for the wonderful perfection attained by 

 first-class song Canaries. The breeder himself assists most materially 

 in the instruction, spending, as he does, all his spare time in producing, 

 for the edification of his pupils, piping, whistling, fluting, bubbling, 

 and rolling "tours." In this task he does not trust to his own 

 powers of whistling, but employs for the purpose an ingenious little 

 metal instrument specially constructed — a 



* " BIED-FLUTE." 



The proper use of these ingenious little accessories, improved and 

 altered as they are from season to season, is quite an accomplishment, 

 not involving, however, as much practice as that of any other 

 musical instrument. But for such artificial assistance the repertoire 

 even of a German song Canary would long ago have reached its 

 limit. The trainer, however, selects the most musical strophes of 



* Publisher supplies these Flutes, with full printed instructions, at 7d., 1/1, and 2/2 

 each post free. 



