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Our  Canaries 
be  quite  proficient  singers  before  the  later-hatched  birds  are  through  the  moult, 
and,  if  required,  will  make  useful  additions  to  the  stock  of  tutors  for  finishing  the 
education  of  the  younger  birds. 
THE  COURSE  OF  TRAINING. 
A  good  supply  of  tutors,  or  "  schoolmasters,"  are  essential  to  success,  and 
one  or  two  of  these  should  be  early  moulted  birds,  which  will  have  moulted  and 
recommenced  singing  by  the  time  the  other  old 
tutors  are  dropping  into  moult  and  consequently 
ceasing  their  song  for  a  time.  In  this  way  the 
young  birds  have  the  advantage  of  hearing  the 
song  they  are  required  to  learn  all  through  their 
own  period  of  silence,  which  is  of  great  import- 
ance in  thoroughly  instilling  the  melody  into  the 
pupils  memories. 
When  a  number  of  birds  are  being  trained, 
or  in  any  case  when  the  stock  of  tutors  is  low  or 
there  is  a  risk  of  their  going  out  of  song  for 
moulting  just  when  their  services  are  most  re- 
quired, a  Roller  Organ  is  of  the  utmost  value  in 
training  them.  This  being  mechanical  and  auto- 
matic in  action  may  be  kept  going  whenever  de- 
sired, and  may  be  used  either  as  a  substitute 
'^^3  adjunct  to,  schoolmasters,  though 
^^^^  latter  are  always  most  desir- 
^^^0  able.  It  is  essential  also  that  these  tutors  should 
all  sing  the  same  type  of  song,  and  that  this  song 
should  resemble  that  for  which  the  youngsters 
have  been  specially  bred. 
Prior  to  caging  the  birds  separately,  careful 
observation  should  be  made  of  the  manner  of  the 
birds  performances,  and  any  that  seem  to  put  too 
much  vigour  and  energy  into  their  immature  song, 
or  sing  with  the  beak  distinctly  open,  should  be 
treated  with  great  caution.  The  latter  as  a  rule  are  better  discarded  from  the 
company  of  good-class  performers,  but  the  former  may  be  cooled  to  some  extent 
by  giving  a  less  stimulating  diet  and  keeping  them  chiefly  in  closed  song-boxes 
until  their  song  is  well  fixed  and  rendered  with  sufficient  softness. 
THE  TUTORING. 
Having  caged  up  the  birds,  arrange  them  in  a  group  on  one  side  of  a  room 
with  the  tutors  in  the  centre,  or,  in  a  large  stock,  with  one  tutor  in  the  centre  of 
each  row  of  cages.    As  soon  as  the  young  birds  begin  to  "record"  the  song  of 
A  type  of  mechanical  bird- 
organ  for  teaching  the  song 
to  Roller  Canaries. 
