6 



CANARY BIRDS. 



Gessner is followed by Aldobrandi (1599-1609), who, in 

 his treatise on birds, merely repeats the statements of his 

 predecessor, but the notification that the male bird is dis- 

 tinguished from the female by the brighter yellow hue of 

 his plumage. Moreover, besides giving a somewhat clumsy 

 picture of the canary, he mentions that canary-grass is the 

 favourite food of this singing-bird. Much better than 

 Aldobrandi's description is that of Olina, given in a book 

 published in Rome in the year 1622, and which found its 

 way into various other works. The above-mentioned writers, 

 however, only know the green bird, which, in their time, 

 w T as still being imported by merchants, direct from the 

 Canary Islands. 



When the Spaniards, in the year 1478, conquered the 

 Canary Isles, this species of singing-bird became part of 

 their spoil, and thus it was the birds first found their way 

 to Spain ; and were from that time sold by the Spaniards 

 to other nations. 



The little sugar-bird soon became a notable article of 

 commerce. At first, however, owing to its high price, it 

 gained entrance only into the houses of very rich and great 

 people ; and by them it was most carefully tended and was 

 considered the special favourite of the ladies. 



For nearly a century the Spaniards succeeded in preserving 

 the monopoly of the trade in canaries, as they exported the 

 males only ; wisely keeping the females for themselves. In 

 the middle of the 16th century this monopoly was broken 

 down ; for, as Olina tells us, a Spanish vessel, bound for 

 Leghorn, and containing among its cargo a considerable 

 number of canaries, perished on the Italian coast ; and the 

 birds, liberated in this manner, and probably driven by an 

 easterly wind, flew westward, and settled on the island of 

 Elba. Finding there a very favourable climate, their num- 

 ber soon increased considerably ; as the Italians soon found 



