48 



CANARY BIRDS. 



countries, there are also many second-hand dealers, who, 

 annually, buy up a more or less considerable number of 

 canaries and retail them to trade fanciers far and wide 

 all over Europe. The extraordinary extent to which, 

 within the last decade, the fancy for canaries, as well as 

 the breeding of, and the trade in them, has developed 

 is astonishing. 



When we consider that the birds bred in Germany find 

 a rapid sale, and that the supply is always quickly exhausted, 

 we are justified in supposing that a far greater quantity 

 would also be bought up at the same prices. 



And in order to still increase the profits drawn from this 

 source, and from the breeding of other domestic birds, 1 I 

 endeavoured to summarize, in a short and comprehensive 

 manner, all the experiences gained and promulgated up to 

 our time. 



Purchase. — As regards the common canary, there is 

 little to be said in that respect. It is found everywhere, 

 and its song more or less shrill, leaves little to be said. It 

 is different as regards carefully-bred colour-birds ; the fancy 

 for them is not as yet very widely spread, and the finest and 

 most valuable birds are always difficult to obtain ; still they 

 are very much sought after. Regarding Dutch canaries in 

 all their varieties, let the reader consult the description given 

 on page 27. 



Good sources to breeds for the acquisition of birds are : 

 Mr. L. van der Snickt in Brussels, Jean Delacroix in 

 Roubaix, and Donny-Sapin in Bruges. English canaries 

 are obtained mostly from the London fanciers' shops, 

 and from the wholesale dealers — C. Jamrack or S. 

 Abrahams. 



i Proper instructions for the latter will be found in Dean & Sons 

 Practical Handbook, by Sabin. 



