CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
8? 
In your choice of a bird do as William Kidd recommends ; 
i^^ Sacrifice colour to accomplishments ; you will never repent 
it. Nature seldom gives iis rare beauty and great accom- 
plishments united."* 
When you have purchased a bird; carry it home as care- 
fully and gently as possible, having previously prepared for 
it a comfortable mahogany cage, well furnished with seed 
and water : into this you must let it step of its own accord, 
as it will be very tenacious of being touched or handled, until 
it has grown quite familiar to its new home and those about 
it. Place a light in front of its cage, and the chances are 
that it will begin to sing at once, especially if you provoke it 
to rivalry, by whistling or playing some lively air. Kidd re- 
marks tiiat, ^^The best trait in the character of the canary 
is, that he will sing place him where you may. These birds 
very seldom show a sulkiness of disposition; and even if they 
should do so, a single hemp-seed or a morsel of chickweed 
will set all to rights in a m^oment and all experience goes 
to show that this amiability of disposition is quite character- 
istic of this bird of the fortunate isles, whose nature appears 
to be as sunny and genial as the clime from which it on- 
ginally came. We will now speak of 
VARIETIES OF THE CANARY. 
I These are, as we before observed, almost innumerable, 
i and manv of them so closely approximate, that none but an 
I amateur could distinguish them apart; the following, how- 
ever, may be specified as well established and distinct 
varieties : — 1, Common canary Jinchy of a gray colour, 
with the down black, much like the wild birds of the 
Cnnary Isles. These are considered the strongest and 
healthiest birds ; they are about the size of a linnet, and in 
some of them the upper part of the body is of a brownish 
tint, as in that bird, the lower greenish yellow. 2, 3, Gray 
canary finches— Uty with the down and feet white; 2nd, 
with the tail white. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Flaxen canary finches 
—1st, common; 2nd, with red eyes; 3rd, having the plu- 
mage glossed with a golden hue ; 4th, having the down lair, 
« Vide articles on song birds in KicWs Own Journal, from which w© 
have derived much information of a really practical nature. 
