86 



CANARY BIRDS. 



It will probably be most correct to consult the peculiarity 

 of each individual bird, and to allot to males of the larger 

 breeds, which generally are more quiet, feeble or indolent, 

 one female only, while two or three will be given to birds 

 belonging to the smaller and more vivacious breed, accord- 

 ing to their degree of mettle and vivacity. 



Bocker even says, backing his opinion by practice, that 

 a healthy and lively male may very well be coupled with 

 four, five and even six females. Altogether, it will be 

 advisable to place a larger number of females into the aviary 

 rather than to bring fresh and strange hens into it, an 

 emergency which may be necessary owing to death or other 

 disasters, or subsequent to the ejection of brawlers or mar- 

 plots, or of other unsuitable females. This would be the signal 

 for the renewal of bickerings and quarrels, and all broods, 

 and even the fledglings, are placed in peril, every kind of 

 nesting is interrupted and delayed for a considerable 

 time. 



Nesting (Laying, Duration of Breeding, Development of 

 the Young). — We will consider we now have a well-appointed 

 aviary, and soon a busy life begins. Most of the females 

 will choose a nesting-apparatus, but not unfrequently one of 

 them will build her nest in the shrubs, where she may be 

 left to nest in peace, provided that the nest be firm enough, 

 so that the eggs or the young birds cannot fall out of it ; 

 otherwise a new nest-basket will be fastened in the same 

 place, and the building materials already collected, will be 

 put into it. The same w T ill be done if a female happens to 

 build on the top of the basket. Sometimes two females 

 share a nest between them, even although there be no lack 

 of building-places. In such a case another nest is placed, 

 close to the former, and in this the eggs of one of the 

 females will be put. These eggs will always be distinguish- 

 able by some difference in the colour, from those of the 



