The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1883-08-29
The Care Of Canaries

The greatest tav0rite among birds appears
10 be the canary. The best singing varieties
which il a member Of the finch tamIly--are
imported from Germany, principally from the
HART mountains, where they are bred by the
peasautry by the hundreds Of thousands year
ly, and from there are shipped TO this country,
England, France, and even 10 Australia.
This bird had its origin 10 the Canary Islands,
where Its color is OF q gTggu!sh gray. Il was
first introduced into Europe 10 the sixteenth
century, where their notes, particularly 10
Germany, were greatly improved iy raising
them 10 rooms where other birds-sucA as
uightinEales, w00dlarks, skylarks, and the
like-wUro commonly kept. They would take
some notes from each bird, and by mixing
these notes the canary las attained the ucauu-
tul aud varied song transmitted 10 It's descend
ants. When tue composed song OF the canary
was thought completed the use Of other birds
was not deemed requisite, as tine young ones
learned from their parents.
The canary, as O domestic bird, Is tie
easiest of all 20 take care of. The treatment
they require is the most simple and certainly
the best known, bu; there are many persons
whose ideas 20 this subject are very limited,
and. what is worse, very erroneous. As TO
their food, the more simple and uatuu. 1t is
and cheertuIness. Mixtures such Is rape
millct, hemp, canary, poppy, lettuce, oatmeal,
oats, sugar, sweet cake, biscuit and such like,
30 far from being wholesome, Us some people
think. are very uuwholes0me; it sp0ils their
taste for their natural food, weaEegs the
stomach, renders them feeble, siekly and in
capable of bearing m0uluug, under which
they frequently die Tie best food is mix
ture Of rape and cauary and little green
stuff. such Us ChiCBweeI, lettuce, or cabbage
In season, OF sweet apple IN winter The
main point, however, is TO obtain pure aud
fresh seed Rape seed, when old or kept too
long iu q damp place, becomes nusty, gets q
bitter taste and docs not agree with the birds
The best sort Is the German sumner rape
which has q uut-like favor in distinction from
English, which tastes something like mustard
The canary seed should be clean and have
glossy hue, free from musty smell and have d
sweet taste.
The cage should be daily supplied Will
fresh water, both for bathing aud drinking
and the Cage-bOttcm be cleaned out At least
once d week and be covered with dry gravel
which the birds freely pick, and which help.
digestion The birds feet should be occasion.
ally examined, and if they are found dirty The
bird should be carefully taken out Of the cage
aud the dirt washed of 10y soaking IN luke,
warm water The claws, if too long, should
be cut with pair Of sharp scissors, care being
taken not to draw blood; the same with AZ
oyergT0wn bill
Canaries. if kept for singing alone, should
be placed IN cages of about foot in diameter
either round or square, as in larger cages they
DO not sing SO well or so constantly, having
too much room too fly about and amuse them,
selves, which takes away their attention from
singing IL is not necessary to keep tines,
birds IN a very warm room IN winter, rs they
can endure grea! deal of cold without injury
hut they shguld.n0t be removed from cold
room 20 a warm one, or vice versa, but D,
kept in as equal q temperature as possible and
free from dsaught In the summer it is wei
to keep the bird IN the fresh air, but shaded
from the sun and rain.-N. Y FORD