70 
CANARY BIRD. 
CANARY BIRD (^Fringilla ccmaria, Linnaeus.) 
*Fringilla canaria, Lath. Ind. Oin. 1. p. 454 — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 913. — Klein, p. 
88. — Shaio’s Zool. 9. p. 474 -Serinus canarius, Briss. 3. p. 18. 4. — liaii, Syn. 
p. 91. 6. — Will. p. 192. t. 46. — Le serin des canaries, Buff. 4. p. 1 — Canarien 
Vogel, Wirs. Vog. t. 18. 29. — Canary Finch, Lath. Gen. Hist. 7. p. 88. — 
Albin, 1. pi. 46. — BewicKs Br. Birds, l.p. 169. — Bolton, pi. 35 — Syme, p. 160. 
This bird, though not a native, is so well naturalized, that I think 
it may be well to introduce some account of it here. 
In length this beautiful species is about five inches and a half ; 
the bill pale flesh-colour, passing into reddish white ; eyes chestnut 
brown ; the whole plumage of a rich, deep primrose colour, inclining 
to yellow ; edge of the quills sometimes yellowish white ; legs and 
feet, the same colour as the bill. The female is distinguished from 
the male by the plumage being of a paler colour ; the yellow round 
the bill, eye, and on the breast and edge of the wing, being also of a 
paler yellow ; she is likewise rather larger and less slender in form 
towards the tail. 
The subject of our vignette and description, is the jonquil-cock and 
mealy hen of bird-fanciers. The fancy bird has a tuft of feathers of 
a fine gamboge yellow, inclining from the middle to each side ; the 
throat, breast, and under part the same ; the neck, back, and wings 
beautifully waved and mottled with different tints of pale purplish grey. 
The original stock is said to have been imported from the Canary 
Isles, about the fourteenth century ; a circumstance not mentioned by 
Belon, and discredited by Syme, for these reasons. The wild birds 
found in the Canary isles, says he, bear less resemblance, in song and 
plumage, to the domestic Canary, than to the siskin of Germany, the 
venturon of Italy, or the serin of France. The plumage of these is a 
mixture of yellow, green, and very little brown or grey ; whilst 
the wild Canary has a plumage of dingy greenish grey. One of these 
birds, which I received from St. Michael’s, sang very much like the 
linnet. 
Buffon says in his elegant manner, “ that if the nightingale is the 
chauntress of the woods, the Canary is the musician of the chamber ; 
the first owes all to nature, the second something to art. With less 
strength of organ, less compass of voice, and less variety of note, the 
Canary has a better ear, greater facility of imitation, and a more reten- 
tive memory ; and as the difference of genius, especially among the 
lower animals, depends in a great measure on the perfection of their 
senses, the Canary, whose organ of hearing is more susceptible of re- 
ceiving and retaining foreign impressions, becomes more social, tame, 
and familiar ; is capable of gratitude and even of attachment ; its caresses 
