St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-11-18
CANARY elRos.


he Dt1ereas vagsee3ee - O0stlngaishoA
b Earopeoa CoantEiea
About three hundred and fifty years
ago . ship. returning from the islands
In the Atlantic which people then
called tho Fortunate lsles. but which
were undoubtedly the Canaries, went
ashore on the coast Of Italy, near Leg
horn. A cage Of beautiful birds, capt
ured in those islands, was broken and
the birds were liberated Through
some caprice, they did not take refuge
ON the Italian mainland, but went to
the Island Of Elba. where In due time
they nested and bred and increased in
numbers The Italians discovered that
they were admirable singers and began
to capture them and sell them in cages.
This gave rise TO q traffic which soon
completely cleared the island Of Elba
of canary birds" SO that not one was
left there in . wild state.
From that time the history of the
canary bird has been . record of per.
petual imprisonment and of the trans
formation of his appearance and char.
acter. He has become what we may
well be called an artificial bird. Every
nation Of Europe has produced . canary
Of q special type.
In their natural state. as they still
exist in the Canary and Madeira and
other Atlantic islands. the birds are of
q grayish green or greenish brown color.
are not remarkable for beauty. but they
are such exceeding energetic singers
that they have been known to burst the
membrane Of their throat in pouring
forth their song.
Now and then birds are taken in .
wild state in these islands and sold for
good prices in Europe or America. But
the ordinary canary Of commerce is the
offspring Of captive stock, and has been
greatly modified by breeding. Canaries
have, moreover, been crossed with lin.
nets, fnches and other birds, unsil their
real race is uncertain.
Canaries arc now known as Ger
man" "Frsnch, /" Belgian, !" English, !"
''Tyrolese," and SO on according to tho
forms and colors that have been pro-
duced in them. The Belgian canaries
are sometimes eight inches long-the
wild canary is never more than Eve
and are remarkable for the elegance of
their form and their rich orange color.
French canarics are light in color
Some of them, which are entirely
white, command high price
The Germans and Tyrolese, on the
other hand breed moro for beauty Of
song than Of plumage. Many Of their
birds have reverted to the original
greenish brown color; but their powers
IF song have been developed in . high
degree by selection or training. Many
of them have been trained, by being
kept in the dark in the hearing Of
to initiate those wonder
Ful singers
For hundreds of these Tyrolese sing.
rs q fearful fate is reserved They
NO sold togin shop keepers In England,
Who keep them suspended above their |
'srs to make their places cheerful
md attract custom. In the atmosphere |
# such den the bird languishes and |
lies before many months or years. and /
mother is purchased to take its place.
The English" bird, so called, u not |
for song, but Tor plumage.
70 he esteemed highly, it must have .
lead and body of bright Grunge, while
Is wings and tail must be black. A |
ingle wrong" feather viii diminish
he value Of the bird. stfs
Exhibitions of canaries are regularly
'eld In Sydenham palace, London. and
70 canary has a chance of winning
rize unless it is properly marked with
lack wings and tail The production
{ them is great art among breeders,
nd is attained only by Infinite care.
Many books have been written about
he canary, and several cases in which
iras have been taught to talk" have
cen duly recorded. In all these cases,
is fair to suppose, the talking is more
E less inarticulatc, and requires to be
clped out with the imagination Of the
steiner ' .
A bird in London, named Titchie,
'hich had been neglected from its
BY ITS parents, and was reared
ntirely by human care, was taught to
tier succession of sounds in which
eOple heard the words: i
Dear, sweet Titchie, kiss Minnie,
lssie! kissie! xissie!'
The same bird was taught to whistle
early the first three bars of God
ave the Queen" This, though an un-
sual accomplishment Is not extreme
; rare in canaries, finches, linnets
nd other birds.-Youth's Companion.