ng of the sixteenth
century, when a ship, having a large number of canaries on board
destined for Leghorn, was wrecked on the coast of Italy. The birds
having regained their liberty, flew to the nearest land, which happened
to be the island of Elba, where they found so mild a climate that they
built their nests there and became very numerous. But the desire to
possess such beautiful songsters led to their being hunted after, until
the whole wild race was quite destroyed. In Italy, therefore, we find
the first tame canaries, and here they are still reared in great
numbers. Their natural colour is grey, which merges into green beneath,
almost resembling the colours of the linnet; but by means of
domestication, climate, and being bred with other birds, canaries may
now be met with of a great variety of colours. But perhaps there is none
more beautiful than the golden-yellow, with blackish-grey head and tail.
The hen canary lays her eggs four or five times a year, and thus a great
number of young are produced.

As they are naturally inhabitants of warm climates, and made still more
delicate by constant residence in rooms, great care should be taken in
winter that this favourite bird be not exposed to cold air, which,
however refreshing to it in the heat of summer, is so injurious in this
season that it causes sickness and even death. To keep canaries in a
healthy and happy state, it is desirable that the cage should be
frequently hung in brilliant daylight, and, if possible, placed in the
warm sunshine, which, especially when bathing, is very agreeable to
them. The more simple and true to-nature the food is, the better does it
agree with them; and a little summer rapeseed mixed with their usual
allowance of the seed to which they have given their name, will be found
to be the best kind of diet. As a treat, a little crushed hempseed or
summer cabbage-seed may be mixed with the canary-seed. The beautiful
grass from which the latter is obtained is a pretty ornament for the
garden; it now grows very abundantly in Kent.

The song of the canary is not in this country at all like that of the
bird in a state of nature, for it is a kind of compound of notes learned
from other birds. It may be taught to imitate the notes of the
nightingale, by being placed while young with that bird. Care must be
taken that the male parent of the young canary be removed from the nest
before the young ones are hatched, or it will be sure to acquire t