®w - 
Y THE CANARY BIRD 
space around the eyes, are always of a brighter yellow than 
the rest of the body. 
The original grey color of this bird, which merges into green 
beneath, has, by means of domestication, climate, and inter¬ 
mixture with other birds, become so multifarious, that Canaries 
may now be met with of almost every hue; but grey, yellow, 
white, blackish and reddish-brown, are the prevailing colors, 
which are individually seen in every degree of shade, or com¬ 
bination, and thus present innumerable differences. Those 
which are of a blackish-grey, or greyish-brown, above, with 
greenish-yellow beneath, like a greenfinch, are the most com¬ 
mon, generally the strongest, and approach the most closely 
to the original color of their primogenitors. The yellow and 
white ones have usually red eyes, but are more delicate. The 
chestnut-colored are the most rare, and in strength and length 
of life are intermediate. The colors of most Canaries consist 
of a mixture of these, and that bird is the most prized the more 
regularly it exhibits the combination of these various shades. 
That which is most generally admired, at present, is one with 
yellow, or white, upon the body, and of a dun-yellow color on 
the wings, head, and tail. Next in degree of beauty, is that 
which is of a golden yellow, with a black, blue, or blackish- 
grey head, and similar wings and tail. There are also blackish 
or grey ones, with yellow heads, or with a ring about the neck, 
white, with brown and black markings, ashy-grey, almost 
black, with a yellew breast, and white head and tail, all of 
which have a prominent value. Others, which are irregularly 
marked, and are variegated, or mottled, are less esteemed. 
HYBRIDITY. 
As remarked in a preceding page, the original color of the 
Canary bird is grey, which merges into green beneath, almost 
resembling the colors of the linnet; but by means of domes¬ 
tication, climate, and intermixture with other birds, as the 
^ citril finch and serin, of Italy, and with the Siskin and linnet, ^ 
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