46 



CANARY BIRDS. 



We might mention the birds which are designated as Mealy ; 

 in appearance they look like dusted and bleached Buffs of 

 the various kinds already described. 



Colour-Breeding. — The modus operandi of English is as 

 follows : — When the moulting-season approaches, that is, at 

 the age of six or eight weeks, the young birds, upon whose 

 breeding and pedigree the greatest care has been bestowed, 

 are isolated in a similar manner as the young Hartz singing- 

 birds are in Germany; each one is placed in a separate 

 cage, and twenty or thirty, or more of these, put in a row, 

 form a sort of frame ; as a rule each cage is laquered black, 

 and ornamented with gold ridges ; these young birds, the 

 same as those of the Hartz species, are covered up, but not as 

 in Germany, with linen or light stuffs, but with heavy and 

 costly coverings, so as to keep the daylight off ; the pepper 

 food is prepared in the following manner : — A teaspoonful 

 of the best, fresh, red, cayenne-pepper, carefully pulverised, 

 is mixed with a hard-boiled, grated egg, and a correspond- 

 ing quantity of sweet biscuit, the latter must be slightly 

 moistened, and the pepper will be carefully mixed with it, 

 and, finally, the grated egg is added, so that a crummy, but 

 not heavy mixture, be the result. 



The inhaling of the sharp pepper should be carefully 

 avoided, as otherwise, serious consequences might ensue. 

 German breeders mostly use bread, prepared with eggs, in- 

 stead of biscuit ; of this mixture, which the birds swallow 

 without reluctance, a little will have to be given at first, 

 then more, and finally as much as ever they like to eat, 

 while, at the same time, the bodily nourishment is withheld 

 as much as possible. They must also be kept thoroughly 

 clean, must be prevented from soiling or injuring their 

 feathers, and should be carefully shielded from the rays of 

 the sun ; for they are very sensitive to variations of 

 temperature and are altogether very delicate. Not all 



