1 70 
BRITISH BIRDS. 
affords a variety of fcenes highly interefting and 
gratifying to innocent minds. In the places fitted 
up and accommodated to the ufe of the little cap- 
tives, we are delighted to fee the workings of na- 
ture exemplified in the choice of their mates, buil- 
ding their nefls, hatching and rearing their young, 
and in the impaffionate ardour exhibited by the 
male, whether he is engaged in aflifting his faithful 
mate in collecting materials for her nefl, in arran- 
ging them for her accommodation, in providing 
food for her offspring, or in chaunting his lively 
and amorous fongs during every part of the impor- 
tant bufmefs. The Canary will breed freely with 
the Sifkin and Goldfinch, particularly the former, 
as we have already obferved^ it likewife proves 
prolific with the Linnet, but not fo readily ; and 
admits alfo the Chaffinch, Yellow Bunting, and e- 
ven the Sparrow, though with ftill more difficulty. 
In all thefe inftances, except the firft, the pairing 
fucceeds belt when the female Canary is introdu- 
ced to the male of the oppofite fpecies. According 
to Buffon, the Sifkin is the only bird of which the 
male and female propagate equally with thofe of 
the male or female Canaries. 
The laft-mentioned author, in his Hiftory of 
Birds, has given a curious account of the various 
methods ufed in rearing thefe birds, to which we 
inufl refer our readers. We have thought it ne» 
ceffary to fay thus much of a bird, which, though 
neither of Britifh origin, nor yet a voluntary vHL 
