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CANARY-B-I-RBb 
the males, and all the females loft their frft 
eggs ; I refolved to fubftitute three male Gold- 
Finches taken in a trap in place of the three 
dead Canaries, and I put them into the cage 
about the beginning of May. Towards the end 
of July 1 had two nefts of mongrels which foc- 
ceeded to admiration ; and the following year 
I had three broods with each Gold - Finch, 
and hen Canary-Bird. Thefe laft in general 
do not breed with the Gold- Finch till they 
are from a year to four years old ; while with 
their own fpecies they continue to hatch for 
nine or ten years. The common variegated fe- 
male alone will breed with the Gold-Pinch be- 
yond her fourth year. A Gold-f’inch muft ne- 
ver be let loofe in an aviary, for he deftroys the 
nefts, and breaks the eggs of the other birds.” 
We fee then that hen Canary-Birds, though 
accuftomed to the males of their own fpecies, 
will yield to the careftes of the Gold-Finch, 
and will breed with thefe birds fuccefsfully. 
Their union with thefe is even as fruitful as 
with their own natural males, ftnce they lay 
three times in the year with the Gold-Finch : it 
is not fo in the union of the male Linnet with 
the hen Canary-Bird ; in this cafe there is only 
one brood, and very feldom two, in the year. 
The baftard birds which proceed from the 
Canary and the Silkin, Gold-Finch, 8c c. are by 
no means fterile 5 but mongrels that can pair 
