Cross-breeding has changed the canary of the present day
from the original wild green bird of Teneriffe and the Canary
Isles, and the varieties of shape and plumage are endless.
There are canary societies and bird-shows now, and prizes are
given for birds which excel in beauty or song. They are
arranged in different divisions, and connoisseurs talk know-
ingly of " jonques," " spangles," " mealy birds," " flaxen,"
" grey," " cinnamon," and " agate-colored " canaries, all of
which have their distinguishing merits. Then there is the
German canary, a small, compact, smooth bird, with a sweet
but not very powerful voice; and the Belgian, its opposite in
every respect, very long and slender, with exceedingly high
shoulders and long legs, standing so uprightly on its perch as
to give one the idea that it would fall backwards. The Nor-
wich, or London fancy, prize canary, is a large square bird,
with a massive head, deep orange in plumage all over the body,
excepting the wings and tail, which should be black. This, at
least, used to be the prize bird, but every season has its fashion
in birds as well as in dress. To our mind it is the most beauti-
ful of all the canaries when perfect, but it is very difficult to
get one without white or green feathers, or irregularly marked;
and a perfect bird will become imperfect after its first two
moults. This is the case also with the lizard canary, which
should be of a greenish bronze throughout, excepting the crown
oi the head, which is yellow in the gold-spangled, and white in
DOMESTIC PETS. U6
the silver-spangled lizard. The markings or spangles on the
back are very uniform and regular, and there ought to be no
yellow or white feathers in the wings or tail: but these gener-
ally come when the bird is two years old.
Virginian Nightingale.— The cardinal grosbeak, or Virginian
nightingale, is a very beautiful red bird, with glossy black
feathers about the head and neck. It is about eight inches
long, of which the tail measures three. The song is varied
and constant, and continues all through the year, except while
it is moulting. The hen, which is of a reddish-brown color, is
said to sing nearly as well as the cock; and perhaps that is the
reason why these birds are better apart — the cock is jealous of
his mate's rivalry of voice. Bird dealers have so often pro-
nounced an unfavorable opinion of the cardinal grosbeak as
regards its capabilities as a domestic pet, that we were sur-
prised to hear of one which was so exceedingly tame that he
would carry his favorite tit-bits to his mistress, and try to make
her eat crushed hemp and caterpillars ! The bird is naturally
very nervous and sensitive, so that it would fret and chafe in a
shop surrounded by other birds, and its wild fluttering would
give the idea that it could never be tamed; but patient kind-
ness and gentleness will make it most attractive 'and pleasant
pet. It should be fed chiefly on canary-seed, but should have
a few hemp-seeds every day, and four or five meal-worms, or
spiders, grubs, or caterpillars — some animal food, in short, to
keep it well and vigorous. Spanish nuts, almonds, walnuts, and
Indian corn, may be given as a treat; and a lump of basalt and
a little piece of chalk should be put in the cage, and the bird
should always be allowed a bath, and should be kept out of
draughts.
Page 171
Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Cross-breeding has changed the canary of the present day from the original wild green bird of Teneriffe and the Canary Isles, and the varieties of shape and plumage are endless. There are canary societies and bird-shows now, and prizes are given for birds which excel in beauty or song. They are arranged in different divisions, and connoisseurs talk knowingly of " jonques," " spangles," " mealy birds," " flaxen," " grey," " cinnamon," and " agate-colored " canaries, all of which have their distinguishing merits. Then there is the German canary, a small, compact, smooth bird, with a sweet but not very powerful voice; and the Belgian, its opposite in every respect, very long and slender, with exceedingly high shoulders and long legs, standing so uprightly on its perch as to give one the idea that it would fall backwards. The Norwich, or London fancy, prize canary, is a large square bird, with a massive head, deep orange in plumage all over the body, excepting the wings and tail, which should be black. This, at least, used to be the prize bird, but every season has its fashion in birds as well as in dress. To our mind it is the most beautiful of all the canaries when perfect, but it is very difficult to get one without white or green feathers, or irregularly marked; and a perfect bird will become imperfect after its first two moults. This is the case also with the lizard canary, which should be of a greenish bronze throughout, excepting the crown of the head, which is yellow in the gold-spangled, and white in
the silver-spangled lizard. The markings or spangles on the back are very uniform and regular, and there ought to be no yellow or white feathers in the wings or tail: but these generally come when the bird is two years old.
Virginian Nightingale.— The cardinal grosbeak, or Virginian nightingale, is a very beautiful red bird, with glossy black feathers about the head and neck. It is about eight inches long, of which the tail measures three. The song is varied and constant, and continues all through the year, except while it is moulting. The hen, which is of a reddish-brown color, is said to sing nearly as well as the cock; and perhaps that is the reason why these birds are better apart — the cock is jealous of his mate's rivalry of voice. Bird dealers have so often pronounced an unfavorable opinion of the cardinal grosbeak as regards its capabilities as a domestic pet, that we were surprised to hear of one which was so exceedingly tame that he would carry his favorite tit-bits to his mistress, and try to make her eat crushed hemp and caterpillars ! The bird is naturally very nervous and sensitive, so that it would fret and chafe in a shop surrounded by other birds, and its wild fluttering would give the idea that it could never be tamed; but patient kindness and gentleness will make it most attractive and pleasant pet. It should be fed chiefly on canary-seed, but should have a few hemp-seeds every day, and four or five meal-worms, or spiders, grubs, or caterpillars — some animal food, in short, to keep it well and vigorous. Spanish nuts, almonds, walnuts, and Indian corn, may be given as a treat; and a lump of basalt and a little piece of chalk should be put in the cage, and the bird should always be allowed a bath, and should be kept out of draughts.