The Dickinson press., 1888-05-19
THE CANARY BIRD.
THE GRAY, THE YELLOW, THE WHITE,
BLAcklsH AND CHESTNUT.

Young by Hand.
Among the different tribes of song birds
the canary has long been established as the
favorit", its n:"lodious song, beautiful plu-
mage and domestic habits having won for it
II place in every household, and gained for it
thu am of the universal parlor bird
The Canary Islands are the most f%reaucnted
hnunts" Ut the species. According to the obscr-
vatinaS of .Alamson. IGabillardie and others,
the prevailing color OF the bird in its wild
state is gray or brown, mingled with other
colnrs. hut 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 nre the gray, the
yellow, the white, the hlackish and the chest
nut, and it is from their combination that
we derive the numerous varieties known to
breeders. Those ranarieSt that ave the UPPER
part of the body uf dusky green or ljnnct
brown and the under part the yellowish green
Of the green bird. with dark brown ewes, are
the strongest, and most nearly resemble the
primitive bird. The yellow and white often
have red eyes, and are the most tender. Tile
chestnuts are the most common, and hold 81
middle rank for strength and length of time
between the w extremes. As the plumugo
of the Intermediate varieties is n mixture of
the 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 adYlired among fanciers is the
one with tho body white or yellow; the head
particularly ii crcsted-wings and tail
y%ellowish dun. The second in degree is Of a
golden yellow, with the head, wings and tail
black, or at least dusky gray. Next follow
tho gray or blackish, with a yellow head and
collar, and the yellow, with u blackish or
green tuft, which is very much valued.
Those that are irregularly spotted, spcckled
or v%ariegated arc 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 s,e-
cies of birds, and many hybrids are recog-
nizcd by breeders, among them being the
following: Mules bred from the hen canary
and a goldtinch, male siskin, grecnhird or
citrilfinch, rs well us those bred from a hen
canary n Il linnet or bulltinch. Besides
those chaffinches, yellow hammers and other
birds have been tried, but have not proved
successful. In oil 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 he 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 n lively
yellow color often produces young of q dim
white aud other admired colors.
An eminent authority, in speaking of the
choice Of n bird, says: Sacrifice color to
accomplishments; you will never repent it.
Nature seldom gives us rare beauty and
great accomplishments united" Canarics
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 ap-
pears TO be at sunny and genial as the cline
from which it originally came. Although
the canary, as a domesticated bird, is the
easiest of all others to take care Of and his
treatment the most simple, there are 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,
SO far from being wholesome are injurious.
The main point is to obtain pure and fresh
seed for them. Rape seed, when old or kept
100 long in a damp place, becomes mustv
gets n bitter taste and won't agree at all with
birds. The canary seed must bc clean and of
q glossy hue. feel heavy. to he free from
musty smell and have n sweet taste.
Persons keeping canarics for their Singing
should keep them in cages of about n 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 amlse
themselves, which, in a great degree. takes
away their attention from singing. 1t is
not necessary to keep these birds i'll a very
warm room in the winter season, as they ca.
endure IL great deal Of cold without injury
but they should be kept in as equal Il ten
perature as possible.
a short time before the birds are Put t,
breed they should be fed with higher food
such as hard boiled egg, chopped up fine
white and yolk together, exclusive of tlci
general seed.
OcOVl pllNSs NAlCll pun GSsclIcT, VIII pSueI
ally mate within a week, which is c: ,i,
known by their attention to each other
After mating they commence building til,
nest, and in about q week the hen begins t,
lay from two to six eggs, one each dav il
succession, on which she will sit thrice!
days, when the young ones will come out, on
after the other. 1t is wrong to take the egg
from under her while she is laying, for I'll,
purpose of Matching them at one time; it
best to let nature nave its way in this case.
AS soon as the little ones are Matched the
may be fed, beside their general seed, wit
egg boiled hard, chopped up fine and an equc
quantity Of grated cracker, mixed togethe
with the egg and boiled milk into a past.
This food must be given to them fresh thre
or four times a day, for the old birds will l
more inclined to feed the young when fires
food is handed them. An extra cup shoul
he handed them containing soaked rape see,
1t is sometimes necessary to bringup youl
canarics by hand, and then a paste should |
y made of stale bread or biscuit, pounded vcl
: fine, rape secd we'll bruised, a little of L,
boiled yolk of III egg and some water. This
y should he fed with a quill cut into tho shal
Of Il spoon. and should not have less than tt
: or twelve meals o day, four bcakfuls const
tuting a meal.
! "on the thirteenth day" says Bechstein,
great German authority, "they will begin
. feed themselves, and in four weeks they III;
: be removed to other cages. Care should
. taken, however, to supply them for sor
: time with the paste described, together wi
: the food of full grown birds. us n sudd
: stoppage in the supply of the former Ii
= been frequently known to occasion deaf
3 especially il tho nesting is deprived Of
y when molting.-New York News.
T. \ Woman's High Resolve.
d According to tiy creed n woman's place
q wherever circumstances beyond her cont
have situated her.
" If SHE feels n constant and never ceasi
to rebellion against her environments, a
:" Graves q change of conditions. the chan
10 will come. We may whine and complain
q fate all our lives without ever accomplish
N anything. But the soul that looks stead
ms i'll the face of its desire, makes no complain
ro,nu,,iznS ~ i'll f,rt,,p, Int ,l,..1 -,