The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-18
THE CANARY BIRD.
THE GRAY, THE YELLOW, THE WHITE,
eLAckISH AND CHESTNUT.

Feeding Of the Dirdlings-Ratsing the
Young by Hand.
Among the different tribes Of song birds
the canary has long been established as the
f~avorite. its m~elodious song, beautiful plu-
mage and domestic habits having won for it
a place in every household, and gained for it
the name OF the universal parlor bird"
The Canary Islands are the most ~frequented
haunts Of the species. According to the obser-
vations of Adamson, Labillardie and others,
the prevailing color of the bird in its wild
state is gray or brown, mingled with other
colors, but never reaching the brilliancy OF
plumage exhibited by the bird in captivity.
The introduction of the canary into Europe
Is stated by some TO have taken place in the
Fourteenth century, but Bechstein sets it
down as the beginning of the Sixteenth.
The principal varieties are the gray, the
yellow, the white, the blackish and tho chest
nut. and it is from their combination that
we derive the numerous varieties known to
breeders. Those canaries that have the upper
part of the body of dusky green or linnet
brown and the under part the yellowish green
of the green bird, with dark brown eyes, are
the strongest, and most nearly resemble the
primitive bird. The yellow and white often
have red eyes, and are the most tender. The
chestnuts ore the most common, and hold a
middle rank for strength and length of time
between the two extremes. As the plumage
Of the intermediate varieties is q mixture Of
the principal colors enumerated, their value
depends on the pretty and regular manner in
which they are marked. 1t seems TO be adj
.-..4-l - .o,.Noto,t onfhrrifia. TINT Pho
canary most admired among fanciers is the
one with the body white or yellow; the head
particularly if c~rested-wings and tail
yellowish dun. The second in degree is Of a
golden yellow, with the head, wings and tail
black, or at least dusky gray. Next follow
the gray or blackish, with a yellow head and
collar, and the yellow, with a blackish or
green tuft, which is very much valued.
Those that are ~irregularly spotted, speckled
or variegated are much less sought after than
the others, and are used to pair with those Of
one color, such as white, yellow gray or gray
brown.
The canary breed, freely with allied spe-
cies of birds, and many hybrids are recog-
nized by breeders, among them being the
following: Mules bred from the hen canary
and a goldfnch, male siskin, greenbird or
citrildnch, as well as those bred from a hen
canary and "A linnet or bullllnch. Besides
those chafiinches, yellow hammers and other
birds nave been tried, but have no, proved
successful. In all recorded instances where
mules have been bred the canary has al
ways been the mother, the reason being that
a female Of the other species could not be in.
duced TO lay her eggs in an artificial nest as
the canary does. In order 10 obtain bright
and good plumage, those birds whose coloTs
are clear and whose spots are well defined
should be placed together. A brownish gray
or greenish bird paired with one OF a lively
yellow color often produces young Of u dim
white and other admired colors.
An eminent authority, in speaking OF the
choice Of a bird, says: Sacrifice color 10
accomplishments; you viii never repent IL.
Nature seldom gives US raro beauty and
great accomplishments united. Canaries
seldom show a sulkineSs Of disposition, and
experience goes to show that this amiability
OF disposition is quite Characteristic Of this
bird Of the Fortunate Isles, whose nature APP
pears to be at sunny and genial as the cline
from which it originally came. Although
tho canary, as q domesticated bird, is the
l td1ltHl u al lA't ~ N1hN 'tAN - eAN $50
treatment the most simple, there are many
persons whose ideas on this subject are very
limited.
As TO their food, the more simple aud nat
ural has been always found 10 be the most
productive Of good health and cheerfulness;
while. on the other hand, mixtures, intro
duced by many, such as hemp, oatmeal,
oats. sugar, sweet cake, biscuit and such like,
so far from being wholesome are injurious.
The main point is 10 obtain pure and fresh
seed for them. Rape seed, when old or kept
too long in u damp place, becomes musty,
gets a bitter taste and won't agree at all with
birds. The canary seed must be clean and Of
a glossy hue, feel heavy, TO be free from
musty smell and have a sweet taste.
Persons keeping canaries for their singing
should keep them in cages OF about a foot in
diameter, either round or square, as in a
large cage they will not sing so we'll, having
too much room to fly about and anus
themselves, which, in a great degree, takes
away their attention from singing. 1t is
not necessary to keep these birds in a very
warm room in the winter season, as they can
endure a great deal Of cold without injury,
but they should be kept in as equal a tenn
p~erature as possible.
A short time before the birds are put 10
breed they should be fed with higher food,
such as hard boiled egg, chopped up fine,
white and yolk together, exclusive Of their
general seed.
Good birds, when put together, will gener-
ally mate within q week, which is CO ,ily
known By their attention to each other.
After mating they IL building the
nest, and in about a week the hen begins to
lay from two to six eggs, one each day III
succession, on which she will sit thirteen
days, when the young ones viii come out, one
after the other. Ii Is wrong to take the eggs
from under her wh;lo she Is laying, for the
purpose OF Matching them at one time; it IS
best to let nature have its way in this case.
As soon as the little ones are Matched they
may DO fed, beside theif general seed, with
, EGG boiled hard, chopped up fine and an equal
quantity Of grated cracker, mixed together
with the egg and boiled milk into a paste
This food must be given to them fresh three
or four times a day. for the old birds will he
more inclined to feed the young when fresh
food is handed them. An extra cup should
be handed them containing soaked rape seed
II ia sometimes necessary to bring up young