This well-known bird is among Finches what the Gray Mocking Bird is among the Thrushes, the great musical leader of the tribe. We may go farther, and say that there is no bird of its size known to naturalists which can compare with the Canary Finch in the energy, fulness of tone, and harmony of its notes. And it is certainly complimentary to the discernment of our race in this instance, that the merits of this bird seem to have been duly appreciated, for there is hardly a spot on this wide earth, where civilization has entered, but you will find domesticated this sweet little vocalist. Originally, a native of the Canary Islands (as its name imports) it was introduced into Europe about the beginning of the sixteenth century; it is now almost found everywhere In the splendid mansion and in the humble cottage, its enlivening and delightful melody is heard alike in both, and its little wants are administered too by the hard, horny hands of the artisan in his cot, and the soft and delicate tapering fingers of the fair one, in her bower. It is loved and cherished in the palace and in the hovel; and in the Azores and some places on the Mediterranean, the breeding and rearing of this little bird constitute the principal support of many of the poor inhabitants.

Although the climate of New England is not the most favorable in the world for this bird, and it is affected by the changes of it in a domestic state, in common with other animals, there is a very erroneous opinion as to the degree of warmth necessary for it in the winter. Our rooms are kept in general too warm for the health of the inmates, and the Canary hangs above, where the temperature is several degrees higher. Indeed, I have been told by some, when too late to be remedied, that they actually covered over their cage with a thick cloth, and hung it over the stove as night approached. The consequence is, that the poor bird not only suffers, but is weakened and debilitated, a premature moulting ensues, and at last it falls a victim.

I have kept Canary Birds in some parts of this country, where the winters are much colder than they are here. One winter I kept thirty or forty birds in a room, where there was no fire after dark. The thermometer there, would be sometimes below zero for a week, and the water would be frozen solid every morning, yet the whole winter I never lost a bird, and they sang sweetly every day. Last spring 1 had about thirty birds sent me to dispose of, that were kept in an attic all winter without having any fire near them; they were healthy and strong and sang well, and a person who had six of the females to breed, assured me that they all had eggs about a week after he got them. If you keep your birds in a room where there is a stove, place them in the coolest part of it, and give them fresh air every fine day; for humanity prompts me to say, (however much at variance with my own interests,) that of the Canary Birds which I preserve during the winter, full three-quarters of them die from being kept too warm and too near the stove.

The Canary bird seems to be peculiarly adapted for a cage bird. They will sing the whole of the winter, during the most dreary part of the year, and when other birds are in general silent, they will solace and delight us with their animated and cheerful song. They are social and familiar, and capable of forming strong attachments to those who feed them; they will know the voice of their master or mistress; can be taught to sing sitting upon the finger, and come and go at command. The following account of some of those birds, which were exhibited in London some years ago, will show that they are capable of doing more wonderful things than has yet been mentioned, with which, (as 1 shall speak largely in a future part of this work, of the breeding, treatment of the young, diseases, etc. of this delightful bird,) I shall at present conclude.

In 1820, a Frenchman exhibited four-and-twenty Canary birds in London, many of which, he said, were from eighteen to twenty-five years of age. Some of these balanced themselves with their head downwards and tail in the air; one of them, taking a slender stick in his claws, passed its head between its legs, and suffered itself to be turned round as if in the act of being roasted; another balanced itself, and was slung backwards and forwards, as on a kind of slack rope; a third was dressed in military uniform, having a cap on its head, and wearing a sword and cartridge pouch, and holding a fire-lock in one claw. After some time sitting upright, this bird, at the word of command, freed itself from its dress and flew away to the cage. A fourth suffered itself to be shot at, and falling down as if dead, to be put into a little wheelbarrow and wheeled by one of his comrades. Several of the birds were placed upon a little fire-work, and continued there quietly and without alarm, until it was discharged.

Food

It is highly important to know the most proper food for this bird, as it is so completely domesticated, that it will eat almost everything that is given to it. Some pamper their bird and destroy the tone of its stomach by feeding it with sugar, sweet cake, etc., and others withhold from them their natural food. I once knew a confectioner who killed a fine pair of birds by feeding them upon cake. He had all kinds of cake that were ever baked, stuck in pieces all round the cage. I told him he would kill his birds. He answered, "O no, I love to see them eating it." They had a short life and a merry one; they were both dead in about a month. I also was once shown a pair of Canary Birds that were hanging out at a window; they were owned by an old maiden lady. The person who pointed them out to me was a near neighbor of her's, and kept birds himself, and he assured me that she fed her poor birds upon bread and potatoes, and gave as a reason to him, that seed cost too much. Some give their birds no hemp seed, and others give them too much, because they are fond of it. Now, as all birds are fond of hemp seed, but some may have too much given them, and get too fat on it, is that a good and sufficiently sound reason that all birds should be kept poor and lean and get none ? I have been led to these remarks, as there are some who think they have knowledge in this matter, and who condemn the use of hemp seed altogether. Now I am satisfied, from experience, that hemp seed, if fresh, (and attention should be paid to this, as it gets stale much sooner than Canary or rape seed,) is a nourishing seed, and is highly beneficial if given judiciously to Canary Birds, and also many other cage birds. I have at present in my possession a Red-breasted Thrush or Robin, who eats freely of bruised hemp seed every day, and there never was a prettier Robin in a cage, and he sings even at this season (the autumn) every day. It has been advanced, that giving hemp seed to Canary Birds will cause them to have the asthma; if it be so, it cannot be a disease that birds are very liable to, for I kept birds when I was eleven years of age, and I have always given my Canaries a portion of hemp seed. I do not believe I ever had more than half a dozen of asthmatical birds in my life; and when I had one, I always found it to be a pretty old bird.

I feed my Canary Birds on a mixture of two thirds Canary and one third hemp seed, with occasionally a little rape seed in it. In moulting time I give them freely of rape seed, with occasionally a bit of baker's bread dipt in sweet milk. I give them freely of lettuce, in summer, and cabbage or Savoy blades in autumn and winter. I believe that these are the best vegetables that can be given to Canary Birds, and superior to chickweed, plantain, or any of those weeds which grow (as vegetation is so rapid with us) very rank and strong, especially such as grow in the shade, and do not have the vivifying heat of the sun to ripen them, and which, instead of being beneficial are very pernicious. A bit of apple is not hurtful, but sugar, figs, sweet cake, pound cake, and such things, only tend to hurt the stomach of the bird, and give it a distaste for its natural food. The fact is, that Canary Birds are like children, the simpler and most natural their food is, the better they will thrive.

Characteristics Of The Sexes

There is such a diversity of color among these birds that it is sometimes not easy to distinguish the male from the female. There are, however, general characteristics given. The head of the male is rather larger and longer, the eye fuller, and the neck and legs a little longer. The carriage of the male is different, being more upright. This last I consider the best criterion, but the person must be a close observer that picks out a male in this way, and be accustomed to see a good many birds. The best and surest test is the singing; a bird, if good for anything, will sing in the spring, especially if there is a female in the room with him that he can see or hear. The young males may be picked out, when six or eight weeks old, by the swelling of their throats when warbling over their notes.

Location

Found domesticated throughout the world. In the Canary Islands, Africa - Resident.