BIRDS. 209 
retentive memory ; and as the difference of genius, espe- 
cially among the lower animals, depends in a great mea- 
sure on the perfection of their senses, the Canary, whose 
organ of hearing is more susceptible of receiving and 
retaining foreign impressions, becomes more social, tame, 
and familiar ; is capable of gratitude and even attachment ; 
its caresses are endearing, its little humours innocent, and 
its anger neither hurts nor offends. Its education is easy ; 
we rear it with pleasure, because we are able to instruct it. 
It leaves the melody of its own natural note, to listen to 
the melody of our voices and instruments. It accompanies 
us, and repays the pleasure it receives with interest, while 
the nightingale, more proud of its talent, seems desirous of 
preserving it in all its purity, at least it appears to attach 
very little value to ours, and it is with great difficulty it 
can be taught any of our airs. The Canary can whistle; 
the nightingale despises our airs, and never fails to return 
to its own wild wood notes. Its pipe is a masterpiece of 
nature, which human art can neither alter nor improve ; 
while that of the Canary is a model of more pliant mate- 
rials, which we can mould at pleasure ; and therefore it 
contributes in a much greater degree to the pleasures of 
society. It sings at all seasons, cheers us in the dullest 
weather, and adds to our happiness, by amusing the young 
and delighting the recluse, charming the tediousness of the 
cloister, and gladdening the soul of the innocent and cap- 
tive." It breeds generally twice a year when domesticated ; 
and it happens sometimes, that the first brood is not yet 
fledged, when the female has laid her eggs for the second 
time. Then the male takes, good-naturedly, the place of 
the female on the eggs, when she feeds the young ones ; 
and he feeds them in his turn, when she sits in the nest. 
They are very easily tamed, when brought up with atten- 
tion and kindness ; they take their food out of the hand, 
and often perching on the shoulder of their mistress, feed 
out of her mouth. The Canary-bird is sometimes, and 
