Bent County register., 1888-09-08
The Canary Bird.

To no bird has so much attention been
paid as to the canary. 1t 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 that way, since the birds are So
prolific when domesticated AIr, Black
ston tells us that their first introduction
into Europe is believed to have been early
In the sixteenth century, when q ship con-
tanning consignment of them was cast
away upon Elba- The prisoners escaped,
to be gradually recaptured; and then ca
naries became an article of trade from
E@ly to Germany, where, from the first,
they were taken into general favor. In
England, Norwich has alw VS. held its
place as the headquarters of anary-fancy-
ing, and the birds are SUP .-sed to have
been brought there by the expatriated
Flen,ings who fled from the prosecutions
'f Alya. To this day the Norwich canary
still stands pre-eminent among the birds
whose speciality is color Others of the
color class are the Lizard-so named from
the somewhat far-fetched resemblance in
It's yariegated tints to the glistening stripes
on the back of the reptile-and the Lon
don Fancy" which Is comparatively rare
and not much sought after. But nothing
is more curious in the history of canary.
breeding than the remarkable processes of
artificial coloring, which are among the
great discoveries Of very recent times.
Canaries were brought up for exhibition
which showed quantity finciful variations
in their plumage. Those variations were
supposed at first to be mere incidents in
the breeding and it was understood that,
the way to perpetuate or improve upon
any particular hues was to be careful in Sc
lecting suitable parents. Even then, and
under the most favorable conditions, it waa
OBVIOUS that the colors, Of the offspring
must be very much . nattef OF Chance
DIETING TO MODIFY coLoh.-
1t occurred, however, to certain inteiii-.
gent fancier5 that coiar II. .ShS be infueaasd
by notifications in tho diet. Many pse-
scriptions were tried with that object
among others, marigold flowers, strong
solution of saffron, cochineal, port wine,
beet-roor, mustard seed etc.--bus Wit, vcry
imperfect results; when suddenly exii.hi-
tors came into the field vsa-h success t...,a
startled envio,;ss Tivaas. Suspicious were
aroused and accusations fse4l Z ;n,,nlgct. i:a
1t WAY rr1Iu r:-:.U the coloc5 Sers the rcsria
Of unsRillful dyeing, though tEe very an
dacity OF any such attempt ss;auld have
ftIsed STRONG presumption for the nn0-
cence Of the exhibitor. To satisfy the OBJ
,iectors 50 lar as possible, tlio unforluna.o
birds were subjected to severe orticals, te-
ing Ealf stripped in tie process OF testing
their feathers. But Inexperienced judges liko
BlaSston were satisfied, and gare their
awards in favor of these pheaoiheIi.s. Fi-
nally, one Of these breeders of s.cl, rcd
birds, who had undertaken 10 rslltiply,
them almost to order and successfully, pro-
claimed his secret to the world. It con-
asted simply in, teeding on cayenne. Some
birds will color readily; Others, 3ppSrently,
will hardly coloS at all, and Shy supplying
food from which colo: can be sccrcted, we
ascertain what birds have and what have
not the capacity of doing that, the mani
fcstation of which constitutes their dis
tnctive quality in q fiinciers eye"
PEcuLARITIEs IN FORM.
But while some canarics dcveRsp varis-
ties of color, others 60 to beoaties Or &C.
ccntricities of form. The Belgian canary
is very rcI.arl.able in that respect, though
we should say that the fancy, fDr him must
be an acquired taste. Tho slightest roand-
ed shoulders form a eliminating pa sforin
on the figure, whence you migat drop \
plummet almost in a straight Line 10 tho,
tip of the long dropping feathers at the
tail !; while tic head and neck are bowed
st aa acute angle with the breast til tho.
bill is pointed inwards towards the claw
on the perch. The fact is that the bird haa
really conformation which permits him
to ass,tme the particular position" which
is regarded rs his supreme excellence,
though when in position he appears mis-
shapen to the uninltiated> But some birtls,
sccm to inherit tho eccsntricity Of shape,
without being capable of graceful attitud-,
inizing, while even those who are born to,
the poetry of fiexion must be placed Mt
their ease, or encouraged before they ah0lH
Off 70 the best advantage,