Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-03-27
THE CANARY BIRD.
THE GRAY, THE YELLOW, THE WHITE,
BLACkISH AND CHESTNUT.
How to Choose a Sweet Singer OF tht
Fortunate Isles - Home Breeding and
Feeding of the BirdIings-- the
Young by Hand.

Young by Hand.
Among the different tribes of song birds
the canary has long been established as the
favorite. its melodious song, beautiful plu
mage and domestic habits having won for ii
a place in every household, and gained for ii
the name OF tho universal parlor bird.
The Canary Islands are the most frequented
haunts Of the species. According to tho obser-
vations of Adamson Labillardie and others,
the prevailing color of the bird in its wild
state liz gray or brown, mingled with other
coors, but never reaching tho brilliancy OF
plumage exhibited by tho 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 tho beginning Of the Sixteenth.
The principal varieties arc the gray, the
yellow, the white the blackish and the chest
nut, and it is from their combination that
we derive the numerous varieties known to
breeders. Those canares that have the upper
part of the body of dusky green or iinnet
brown and the under part the yelowish green
of the green bird, with dark brown eyes, are
the strongest, and most nearly resemble the
primitive bird. Tho yellow and white often
have red eyes, and are tho most tender The
chestnuts are the most common, and hold a
middle rank for strength and length of time
between the two extremes. AS tho plumage
of the intermediate varieties is mixture Of
tho principal colors enumerated, their value
depends on the pretty and regular manner in
which they are marked. 1t seems to be ad-
mitted by competent authorities that the
canary most admired among fanciers is the
one with tho body white or yellow; the head
particularly if crested-wings and tail
yellowish dun. The second in degree is of q
golden yellow, with the head wings and tail
black, or at least dusky gray Next follow
the gray or blackish, with yellow head and
collar, and the yellow with blackish or
green tuft, which is very much valued
Those that are iiregularly spotted, specl1led
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 breeds 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 goldfnch, male siskin, greenbird or
citrilflncb, as well as those bred from hen
canary and q linnet OF bullfnch. Besides
those chafliches, yellow hammers and other
birds have been tried, but have not proved
successful. In all recorded instances where
mules have been bred the canary has al
ways been the mother, the reason being that
female of the other species could not be in
duced to lay her eggs in an artificial nest as
the canary does. In order to obtain bright
and good plumage, those birds whose colors
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 a dim
white and other admired colors
An eminent authority, in speaking of the
choice of bird, says Sacrifice color to
accomplishments; you will never repent it,.
Nature seldom gives us rare beauty and
great accomplishments united.n Canaries
seldom show sulkiness of disposition, and
experience goes to show that this amiability
of disposition is quito characteristic of this
bird of the Fortunate Isles, whose nature ap-
pears to be at sunny and genial as the cline
from which it originally came. Although
the canary, as domesticated bird, is the
easiest of all others to take care of and hs,
treatment the most simple, there arc many
persons whose ideas on this subject are very
limited.
As to their food, the more simple and nat
ural has been always found to 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,
- far from being wholesome are injurious,
The main point is to obtain pure and fresh
seed for them. Rape seed, when old or kept
too long in damp place, becomes musty,
gets 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 Cage of about a foot in
diameter, either round or square, as in a
large cage they will not sing SO well. having
too much room to fly about and amuse
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 great deal of cold without injury.
but they should be kept in as equal a tenn
perature as possible.
A short time before the birds are nut to
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 a week, which is ea,ily
known by their attention to each other.
After mating they commence building the
nest, and in about week the hen begins to
lay from two to six eggs, one each day in
succession, on which she will sit thirteen
days, when the young ones will come out, one
after the other. 1t is wrong to take the eggs
from under her while 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 be fed, beside their general seed, with
egg boiled hard, chopped up fino and an equnl
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 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.
1t is sometimes necessary to bring up Young
canaries by hand, and then paste should be
made of stale bread OF biscuit, pounded very
fine, rape seed well bruised, a little of the
boiled yolk of an egg and some water. They
should be fed with a quill cut into tho shane
of spoon, and should not have less than ten
or twelve meals day, four beakfuls consti-
tuting a meal
'On the thirteenth day." says Bechstein. n
great German authority, 'they will begin To
feed themselves, and in four weeks they NAV
he removed to other cages. Care should be
taken, however, to supply them for some
time with the paste described, together with
the food of full grown birds, as sudden
stoppase in the supply of the former has
been frequently known to occasion DEATH