The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-11-05
CONCERNING CANARY BIRDS.
Where They Are Raised, The Songs Thes
sing, And How They Are Taught AL
TO Sing Them.

"The best canary birds that are imported
from Germany come from the Tyrol, where
the peasants, during the long winter nights,
amuse themselves by mating the birds in the
fancied spring time of the cabins interior,
and when the little ones have broken their
shells, send them to the nearest town and
sell them for about ten cents in our money.
This may seem cheap, but it isn't to the
speculator, for the little birds frequently
die as soon. as they leave their familiar sur.
roundings, and the few that are saved cost
the dealer about 81 each. In this city an
imported bird costs IS, and bird from
either of the Canaries, with all the fresh
ness OF their song, is valued at from SO to
80. The darker colored birds come from
Germany, and are cross breed of canary
and finch, and strange as that may seem,
can be taught to whistle almost anything.
A pure-blooded canary bird was never
taught to whistle anything but the recollec-
tons of his own native woodlands. In
Germany the cross-bred birds are taken by
shell, and are put into dark closets. Then
the peasant whistles no air but one which
he has chosen that all the birds should sing.
1t sometimes requires year of almost con-
slant whistling to effect the desired result,
and in the meanwhile the birds become
blind. But they sing the one song with q
mournful pertinacity that ia curious re-
proach to the man who taught 1t to them.
Yes, they enter this market in the regular
course of trade, and are by no means ne
rare as their owners try to make them out
This one you see in the little house over
there can whistle The Under Tree an
old German song, perfectly, but the poor
little creature can't do anything else, and it
is indescribably pitiful sometimes to hear
that same old song, repeated with marvellous
syactitude about hundred and fifty times
a day. Still there is o demand for the birds,
and I sell them at $50 each. We order
these birds from the other side, and when
any lady comes to us and says, Mr.. Blank,
I wart you to get me bird which will sing
Sweet Violets,' or any new song, simply
have bird trained, or, IL I have one on
hand, ! sell 1t to her for double the ordinary
price.
Not all of these little birds that are
trained In this way live through the ordeal
of darkness to which they are subjected.
Sometimes they actually go mad and strsn-
gle themselves through the bars of their
cages. This is fact, however strange it
may seem, and of Q dozen birds that are
put to school, as we call it, we seldom
succeed in training more than two. In South
Germany they have regular nurseries of
these birds, where they are bred oil the
year around. One nursery in Silesia turns
out 70, 900 birds year, which allowing ten
per cent. for deaths, and twenty-five cents
each for expectation, leaves gross income
of nearly $1s, 900 year, which is a very
fair income to be derived from canary birds
alone. There are also several of these ca
nary factories in Tyrol. The bird breeds
four or five times each year, laying about
six eggs each time, so you see that from one
pair of birds the breeder can get nearly
thirty others each year under favorable
circumstances. Even in this city a largo
number of German families who have
brought their pets with them to this coun-
try add considerable to their income by
breeding and selling these charming little
birds. How long have known them to
liver Why had one myself that had been
In our family fifteen years, and she lived
three years after got her. They usually
die at the age Of ten years when they have
been treated WELL The reason why persons
lose so many birds is that they forget that
bird cannot live on seed alone but 1t must
have some green thing now and then. The
broad leaf Of the common chick-weed is
favorite food of theirs, and when given 70
them with their seeds puts them in excellent
condition.
Oh, yes I've known canary birds to
talk That is, to say one or two words. In
the town in Germany where came from
there was an old shoemaker who had
canary with q gray top knot, md the canary.
would call Hans the mans name, at day.
break every morning, until he awakened
his owner One day Hans died, and I'm
plagued If the little idiot didn't go right
ahead calling Hans until it could no longer
bear the disappointment of not seeing his
master, and rolled over on It's back ON the
bottom of its cage and died. I have seen
several birds that could count correctly by
chirping, and when person would name
any number from one to ten the bird would
,ount it by whistling.