Nests made of turned wood, or osiers, are given them, as straw ones
are too easily torn. It is a good plan to place in the room or aviary
slips of pine, which being cut in February do not lose their leaves.
It is rare for the male to sit in his turn during some hours of the day,
the female seldom allowing it, for as soon as she has eaten she flies
back to her nest. If the male gives up his place readily, so much the
better ; if not, she drives him away by force and by pecking him. She
appears to know his want of skill in this employment.
Many cross-breed goldfinches with canaries. A male goldfinch and
a hen canary will breed birds far superior to either of their parents, both
in plumage and song. The handsomest singers are produced from a
canary of a pure golden-yellow and a full-grown garden goldfinch.
Whatever be the size and shape of your cage, avoid brass wire or
ornaments, and painted wires of all colors, but especially green. A
movable floor is indispensable to cleanliness. Of wooden cages, those
made of mahogany are best, being almost impervious to vermin, and
the inside should have two or three coats of white oil paint.
To tell the sexes of young birds : The male canary has a slimmer
body than the hen ; the head is larger and squarer, and round the eyes
the color is brighter than elsewhere. Whitish-yellow birds are the
weakest, and those of a greenish yellow most robust.
Protect them from all sudden noises, for the near discharge of a gun,
a door slammed with violence, and other similar noises will often kill
the young in the shell, but their death happens generally through the
fault of a bad sitter.
CA.RE OF THEM WHILE SETTING.
A female canary will at all times confine herself too closely to the
nest, and thus generate a superabundance of heat, which often destroys
the brood. Wash her in a good solution of salt, and after a few min-
utes with fresh water ; dry her as rapidly as possible in the sun. Do
FEEDING THE YOUNG. 9
this once or twice a day, and sprinkle a little sherry wine over her plum-
age. Supply her with plenty of good food to tempt her off the nest.
She is most likely a weakly bird, and injures herself by sitting too
closely. A sweating female is not fit for a breeder, so never use her
for this purpose twice. After mating your birds, a period of only seven
to eight days elapses before the female commences to lay ; and she will
lay from four to seven eggs, one each day, at about the same hour, and
sit upon them for thirteen days, when the operation of hatching com-
mences.
A young bird is usually in full feather at the age of six weeks — when
he is four weeks old he will swell up his throat and try to warble, and
by this you can tell the males from the females.
Page 13
Presented as published in 1886. 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
Nests made of turned wood, or osiers, are given them, as straw ones are too easily torn. It is a good plan to place in the room or aviary slips of pine, which being cut in February do not lose their leaves. It is rare for the male to sit in his turn during some hours of the day, the female seldom allowing it, for as soon as she has eaten she flies back to her nest. If the male gives up his place readily, so much the better ; if not, she drives him away by force and by pecking him. She appears to know his want of skill in this employment.
Many cross-breed goldfinches with canaries. A male goldfinch and a hen canary will breed birds far superior to either of their parents, both in plumage and song. The handsomest singers are produced from a canary of a pure golden-yellow and a full-grown garden goldfinch.
Whatever be the size and shape of your cage, avoid brass wire or ornaments, and painted wires of all colors, but especially green. A movable floor is indispensable to cleanliness. Of wooden cages, those made of mahogany are best, being almost impervious to vermin, and the inside should have two or three coats of white oil paint.
To tell the sexes of young birds : The male canary has a slimmer body than the hen ; the head is larger and squarer, and round the eyes the color is brighter than elsewhere. Whitish-yellow birds are the weakest, and those of a greenish yellow most robust.
Protect them from all sudden noises, for the near discharge of a gun, a door slammed with violence, and other similar noises will often kill the young in the shell, but their death happens generally through the fault of a bad sitter.
CARE OF THEM WHILE SETTING.
A female canary will at all times confine herself too closely to the nest, and thus generate a superabundance of heat, which often destroys the brood. Wash her in a good solution of salt, and after a few minutes with fresh water ; dry her as rapidly as possible in the sun. Do
FEEDING THE YOUNG. 9
this once or twice a day, and sprinkle a little sherry wine over her plumage. Supply her with plenty of good food to tempt her off the nest. She is most likely a weakly bird, and injures herself by sitting too closely. A sweating female is not fit for a breeder, so never use her for this purpose twice. After mating your birds, a period of only seven to eight days elapses before the female commences to lay ; and she will lay from four to seven eggs, one each day, at about the same hour, and sit upon them for thirteen days, when the operation of hatching commences.
A young bird is usually in full feather at the age of six weeks — when he is four weeks old he will swell up his throat and try to warble, and by this you can tell the males from the females.