The female is hardly distinguishable from the male, except that the plumage of the latter is generally brighter in color. His head, also, is rather larger and longer; the body more slender; the neck not so short; and the legs longer and straighter. Another special characteristic is, that the yellow of the temples, and round the eyes, is brighter than in any other part of the body.

Birds which seem moderately shy are generally the best. Tame birds are generally bought quite eagerly, but too great quietness is often caused by illness, and they soon die. A real good bird will make a great fuss, pretending to be a vast deal shyer than he really is, hopping from perch to perch, twisting his head about, and having many airs and graces. Bird dealers recommend the birds that sing loudly; and this to many is not at all desirable; the lower the tone the sweeter and prettier many would think the song.

In your choice of a bird do as William Kidd recommends; "Sacrifice color to accomplishments; you will never repent it. Nature seldom gives us rare beauty and great accomplishments united" Do not, however, decide too hastily, and examine the bird on which you fix your choice before purchasing. It may, perhaps, have some defect in the plumage, which would deteriorate its market Value, although in no degree diminishing its worth as a songster merely. Should the defect be merely a damaged tail, it can be easily remedied : you have only to draw the defective feathers, and their place will soon be supplied with new ones. Be sure to see that the legs and feet of your bird are clean and perfect; and do not leave it to be sent home, but take it away with you, if you have to buy cage and all.

When you have purchased a bird, carry it home as carefully and gently as possible, having previously prepared for it a comfortable cage, well furnished with seed and water: into this you must let it step of its own accord, as it will be very tenacious of being touched or handled, until it has grown quite familiar to its new home and those about it. Place a light in front of its cage, and the chances are that it will begin to sing at once, especially if you provoke it to rivalry, by whistling or playing some lively air. Kidd remarks that, "The best trait in the character of the canary is, that he will' sing place him where you may. These-birds very seldom show a sulkiness of dis-. position; and even if they should do so, a single hemp-seed or a morsel of chickweed.

will set all to rights in a moment;" and all experience goes to show that this amiability of disposition is quite characteristic of this bird of the Fortunate Isles, whose nature appears to be as sunny and genial as the clime from which it originally came.

It is sometimes extremely difficult to get newly-captured birds to eat at all, partly because that which is offered to them is not quite what they have been accustomed to, and partly, no doubt, on account of grief at their loss of liberty, and fear arising out of the strange scenes and circumstances amid which they find themselves. They will not unfrequently refuse to take any nourishment, and will inevitably pine and die if some means are not taken to induce them to art. Dr. Meyer, of Offenbach, communicated to Bechstein the following mode of •getting over this difficulty. Place the bird in the cage in which it is intended to keep it, with plenty of the proper food and drink in open vessels; let it remain undisturbed for several hours; then catch it, and immerse it in fresh water; after which, place it back in the cage, and again leave it for awhile. The employment of pruning its wings and setting its feathers straight, will divert its attention from the great grief of captivity, and its appetite being sharpened by the bath, there is little doubt that the bird will soon take freely of what is set before it, and become cheerful and animated. Those birds that at first creep into a corner and sulk and refuse their food, are most likely to do well afterwards; those which eat greedily at once of the artificial food, frequently die from the effect of the sudden change of diet, or else the unnatural indifference to the loss of liberty implies that they have some disease which impels them to eat.

The following is a new and approved method of taming birds: A portion, larger or smaller, is cut off from the inner plume of the pen-feathers, so that the bird cannot hurt itself if it attempts to leave the hand. The nostrils of the bird are then touched with bergamot, or any other odorous oil, by which it is for a time so stupified as to perch quietly on the finger, or to hop from one finger to another. It may, indeed, attempt to fly away once or twice ; but this is not often repeated, especially if the experiment be tried in a dark place - as, for example, behind a curtain, which offers the further advantage, that if the bird fall, it is not likely to hurt itself. As soon as it sits quietly on one finger, another finger must be placed in such position as to cause the bird to step upon it, and so soon as it is accustomed to hop quietly from one finger to another, the main difficulty is overcome. For if when the bird is gradually aroused from its stare of stupefaction he perceives that its teacher does not use it roughly, he will become quite tame.