Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
How Canaries Are Educated.

From the Popular Science News
In a small town called st. Andreasberg
(Saxony) some 700 families are entirely en-
gagged in the task Of rearing and educat-
ing gccd canary singers. A great proper
ton Of these singers Is sent abroad, far or
near-to London, to Australia, and to the
United States, where one single firm ships
1UO,OO0 birds each year. These canaries
are the inferior birds. the schreir as they
are called IN Germany, on account OF their
notes. THESE scnreIr, which are bought
Tor from 40 to 81 cents IN the harz, are
sold for two, three. or four dollars IN Amer
lea. The best birds are kept IN Geramny,
where they are called honirolier. A good
nonirOiier cannot De mad unoer ~ or $lU I'm
the harz), ana ~ ana SO are no unusual
prices. But such BIRDS are certainly
splendid singers. The Germans have Qulte
a number OF words, eacn OF which appnes
to dA1erent sort of tune. or lntona tion;
the heuiroIle IS In minor Key; klnseroIie ap-
winch reminds OF the murmur of water i,
giucnrolie IS similar to the nightinsaies
notes, and one may say that every uetail
or the canaryS song has been named, anu
perfection which the expert Iancler knows
perfectly we'll. The Song OF all canarIes is
not exactly similar: each race has its
special points, ana while the one Is great
or neuiroi' for instance. 1t is weak on
gluchrolie while the case is reversed with
another race.
OF course, singing is a natural feature
with canarleS, but the influence of euuca-
ton IL considerable. The educational cur
riculum begins in May for the young cana
ries. and they are. as soon as possible, sep
arated from their parents. education is all
in this: Keep the young bird from hear
ing any but excellent singers. Some fifteen
or twenty young canarles are put in one
cage WITH an older bird. an especially good
singer. and he teaches them the element Is I;
they try to initiate him. and hence comes
his beneficial influence. In August each Of
the young birds is put in a small cage. and
kept in the immediate vicinity OF the cage
Of the teacher At this time the fancier
tries to gather some idea OF the progress
Schieved, and of the aptitude OF the differ
ent birds. The best are put In the nearest
vicinity Of the teacher. In order to pre-
vent the young birds from getting dis.
turbed. their cages are wrapped with cloth
SO as TO prevent them from seeing what
is going on around them. and in order to
encourage singing the cages are generally
shaped in form of a dome; this shape in
tensifes the sound, and the birds are
Pleased IN their own music. Then comes a
period Of great trouble-the moulting of the
professor birds. During some ten weeks the
latter remain entirely SILENT and the young
birds are very apt to fall into bad habits ;
as soon as the voice of the professor il re-
gained, the training goes on, of course
Some 2oO,OOO canaries are trained each
year In the Harz region, and OF these 2OO-
OOO are sent to the United States. $1,000
are sent to England. 10000 are sent to Rus
sla and other European countries, and TO-
wv remain in Germany. The latter are the
upper lO.OOO' Of the canary world, the
very pick" Of the best singers. Two firms
sspeciaiy (huhr. and Reiche Brothers)
make It their business to export canaries
from Germany to America. There are a
number of varieties Of the canary. Artifi-
cial selection has to account for many of
tnsm, ana while some fanciers have selected
individuals especially notable for their song.
others have selected birds for their form
tneir color. their size In Germany the song
Is the main point; in England the people
seem 70 care only for color or form; In Bel
GUM shape only is considered. So there
are great diherences among canaries