The Breeding 
of Canaries. 
THE BIRD WORLD. 
(158) 
The Breeding of Canaries. 
An Open Letter to a Young Beginner. 
By A. McINNES. 
A small nephew of mine becoming - the happy 
possessor of a pair of Canaries desires to breed 
from them. In answering his query as to what 
to do and what not to do, and “ would I write it 
all down,” I thought that perhaps the letter 
would be of some use to other youthful fanciers 
and beginners if set out as an open letter. 
My Dear Frankie,— 
When aunt gave your message about the birds 
to me and asked me to tell you “ all about it,” 
I felt I had got a tough job. However, here 
you are. 
In the first place, “ Have you a breeding 
cage? ” You have seen my breeders—the double 
ones with the wood and wire slides and loose 
wire fronts. Well, have one like that. You 
will find it handier than a single breeding cage. 
The cost is very moderate, too. 
I could let you have a cage, for that matter, 
if you care to accept it. Let me know as soon 
as possible, and I’ll send it per carrier. I told 
aunt to buy you a nest-pan the same pattern as 
I use. The white pot ones with the wire hanger. 
Knock in a small-sized nail between the perches, 
but an inch or so higher than the sticks. 
You will also need three felt linings and one 
nest-bag of hair and moss. There isn’t much in 
one nest-bag, I hear you say. Neither there is, but 
there is plenty of nice, sweet moss beside you. 
Go and gather a handful and let it dry. It is 
better than any bought stuff, and does not go to 
dust. Plenty of moss and just a little hair is all 
that is wanted. Now about the birds. 
Don't Be in a Hurry. 
The breeding season will not slip by and leave 
you standing. Patience. I expect that the cock 
is quite ready for the breeding cage. Aunt said 
he was singing all day long. Besides, I know 
his family. He is only a youngster, bred last 
year. Not a grand show bird, of course, only a 
songster, but a good one. The hen I know 
better. She bred a nice lot for me last year. 
She’s in her second year, and will do you some 
good as far as numbers go. She will feed any¬ 
thing. A note of warning here. Leave her 
alone when she is nesting. Don’t get anxious 
and worried and keep poking and peeping. If 
you do you’ll repent it. The hen knows better 
than you what to do and when to do it. Depend 
on that. I am not going into a lot of detail 
about quality and feather and other fancy points. 
What you want, I take it, is to know how to 
breed Canaries. I know that when you get 
through this year the next season will find you 
with better cages, better birds, and more know¬ 
ledge and experience. The ambition to breed 
winners will come soon enough. 
A Quiet Corner Needed. 
When you get the breeding cage put it in a 
quiet corner of a bedroom, a sunny room for 
preference. A few husks on the floor will not 
ruin the carpet. Slip in the hen one side, the 
cock in the other side of the wire slide. They 
will soon take notice of one another. In about 
a week’s time you will have seen them hobnob 
to each other and call to one another, and, more 
than likely, you will see the cock feed the hen. 
You can draw that slide away now. Put up the 
nest-pan with the felt lining in it, and shove in 
a handful of moss. Don’t trouble any more. 
Keep the seed-box full and the drinkers sweet 
and clean. A sprig of greenstuff, of course. 
Any sort will do. Fresh dandelion leaves, crisp 
lettuce, or nice clean watercress. You can ex¬ 
pect now to see signs of nest-building. 
Self-restraint a Virtue. 
Now is the time to practise that self-restraint 
you say you possess. Do not pull down the 
nest-pan to see how the birds are building every 
time you come home. It is rather difficult to 
tell you in writing how a hen looks just before 
she lays, but she’ll look a little mopey and 
miserable. The best way is to watch the nest in 
the morning. If the hen is on the nest when 
you look at her about breakfast-time, watch 
your chance for a peep in the nest. If she sits 
hard, try and get her away gently. There’s sure 
to be an egg. Open the cage door quietly, take 
down the nest very gently (the hen will hop off 
when she feels you at the nest), and peep in. If 
you leave the nest on the nail and feel with 
your fingers you are apt to crush such a dainty 
thing as a newly-laid Canary egg. I can see 
you eyes sparkle and your face all smiles. What 
a glorious thing it is to be a fancier and have 
the first egg of the season lying there so snug 
and nice ! Now, quickly yet surely, lift the egg 
away with a spoon—fingers are clumsy, eggs 
are fragile. Place in the nest one of those 
dummy eggs I gave you, replace the nest, see 
everything snug, and the true egg in a safe 
place. A saucerful of sawdust or a box filled 
with cotton-wool, anything soft and cool will do. 
