Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-10-16
THE CANARY BIRD.
THE GRAY, THE YELLOW, THE WHITE,
sLAckisH AND CHESTNUT.

Young by Hand.
Among the different tribes Of song birds
the canary has long been established a. the
favorite, it, melodious song, beautiful plrl-
mage and domestic habits having -sEs for it
. place in every household, and gained for il
the name Of the universal parior bird. NJ
The Canary Islands are the most freouentedl
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 the chest |
mt, and IL 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 are the most common, and hold d
middle rank for strength and length Of time
between the two extremes. As the plumage
Of the intermediate varieties Is 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-
United by competent authorities that tho
canary most admired among fanciers is the
one with the body white or yellow; the head
particularly IL crested-wings and tail
rallOxuich DIR, 4 e.
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 a bIackish 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 breeds freely with allied spe-
cies of birds, and many hybrids ere recog-
nized by breeders, among them being the
following: Mules bred from the hen canary
and goldfnch, male siskin, grecnbird or
citrilfinch, as well as those bred from hen
canary and q linnet or bulffinch. Besides
those chaffinches, yellow hammers and other
birds have been tried, but have not proved
successful. Ii 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 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 lively
yellow color often produces young of dim
white and other admired colors
An eminent authority, in speaking of tine
| choice of a bird, says: Sacrifice color to
accomplishments; you will never repent it.
Nature seldom gives US rare 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 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 KEEP,
too long in a damp place, becomes musty
gets bitter taste and won't agree at ali witt
birds The canary seed must be clean and Of
glossy hue, feel heavy, to be free from
musty smell and have sweet TASTE
Persons keeping canaries for their singing
should keep them in cages of about foot in
diameter, either round or square, as in
large cage they will not sing so well, having
too much room to fly about and anus,
themselves, which, in great degree, take:
away their attention from singing 1t
not necessary to keep these birds in a very
warm room in the winter season, as they cal
endure great deal of cold without injury
but they should be kept in as equal tenn
perature as possible.
A short time before the birds are put b
breed they should be fed with higher food
such as hard boiled egg, chopped up fine
white and yolk together, exclusive of thei
general seed.
Good birds, when put together, will genel
ally mate within week, which is es sil
known by their attention to each othel
After mating they commence building tn
nest, and in about a week the hen begins t
lay from two to six eggs, one each day i
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 egs
from under her while she is laying, for tt
purpose of Matching them at one time; it
best to let nature have its way in this case.
/ As soon as the little ones are Matched the
, NAV be fed, beside their general seed, wit
, egg boiled hard, chopped up fine and an equ
quantity of grated cracker, mixed togetb,
e with the egg and boiled milk int past
D This food must be given to them fresh thr'
!, or four times day, for the old birds will
i more inclined to feed the young when fres
D food is handed them. An extra cup shou
/ be handed them containing soaked rape see
0 1t is sometimes necessary to bring up youI
canaries by hand, and then paste should
/ made of stale bread or biscuit, pounded vel
y fine, rape seed well bruised, little of d
n boiled yolk of an egg and some water. Tn,
: should be fed with quill cut into the sha
e of a spoon, and should not have less than t
f or twelve meals day, four beakfuls cons
;, tuting meal.
! ssOn the thirteenth day. says Bechstein,
y great German authority, they will begin
:, feed themselves, and in four weeks they IN
t be removed to other cages. Care should
/ taken, however, to supply them for sol
r time with the paste described, together wi
the food of full grown birds, as sud-
stoppage in the supply of the former b
been frequently known to occasion deaf
- especially if the nesting is deprived of