The Russellville Democrat., 1880-12-09
Curious Canarle.

According to the London Truth no bird
 has so much attention paid to it as the
 canary. It came originally from the
 islands that have given it its name; now
 the chief importations are said to be | from St. Helena, though we should have | supposed that little business was done in l that way since the birds are so prolific when domesticated. Mir. Blackstone tells
 us that their first introduction into Eu-
 rope is believed to have been in the tixteenth century, when a ship con- taining a consignment of them was cast away upon Elba.
 The prisoners escaped, to be gradually recaptured; and then canaIies became an article of trade from Italy to Germany, where, from the first, they were taken into general favor. In England, Nor wich has always held it's place as the headquarters of canary -fancying, and the birds are supposed to have been brought there by the expatriated Flemings, who fled from the prosecutions of Ava. To this day the Norwich canary still stands pre-eminent among those whose special ty is color. Others of the colored cless are the Lizard-so named from a some- what far-fetched resemblance in it's variegated tints to the glistened stripes
 on the back of the reptile-and the "London Fancy" which is comparative ly rare and not much sought after.
 But nothing is more curious in the history of canary breeding than the re-
 markable processes of artificial coloring,
 which are among the discoveries of very
 recent times. Canaries were brought
 up for exhibition showing quaintly fam cilul variations which were supposed at first to be mere accidents in the breed
 ing; and it was understood that the way
 to perpetuate or improve upon any par
 ticular hues was to be careful in select
 ing suitable parents. Even then, and
 under the most favorable conditions, it
 was obvious that the colors of the off, spring must be very much matter of
 chance. It occurred, however, to cer- tain intelligent fanciers that color may
 be influenced by modifications in the
 diet. Many prescriptions were tried
 with that objeet--among others, mari gold flowers, strong solution of saffron, cochineal, port wine, beet root, mustard
 seed, etc., but with very imperfect re-
 suits; when suddenly exhibitors came
 into the field with success that startled
 enyious rivals. Suspicious were aroused
 and accusations freely indulged in.
 It was said that the colors were the re-
 suit of slSillful dyeing. though the very audacity of such an attempt should have
 raised presumption for the innocence of the exhibitor. To satisfy the object ors as far as possible the birds were sub jected to severe ordeals, being half strip ped in the process of testing their feath- CTS. But experienced judges like Mir.
 Blackstone were satisfied, and gave their awards in favor of these phenomena. Finally one of the breeders of rich red
 birds, who had undertaken to multiply them almost to order and successfully, proclaimed his secret to the world. It consisted simply in feeding on cayenne. Some birds will color readily, others, apparently, will hardly color at all, and "by supplying food from which color can be secreted, we ascertain what birds have and have not the capacity of doing that, the manifestations Of which con. titutes their distinctive quality in q fancier's eye.'