LESSON XVII.

_HOW CANARIES LIVE AND SING._

[Illustration]

1. Canary-birds were first found in a warm region, and they can not

live out-of-doors in our country. They have lived so long in cages,

and been taken care of, that now they have lost the power to get their

own living, and, if turned out, would soon starve to death.

2. The canary is one of the sweetest of all the bird singers, and it

is so pretty in its ways, and so clean, that it is more often made a

pet than any other bird. It has a sweet song of its own, but it is

easily taught to sing a great many new notes. The songs of the canary,

as we hear them, are very different from its song when wild.

[Illustration]

3. A canary will often become so tame that it will fly about the room,

come when called, perch on its mistress's finger, and eat out of her

mouth.

4. The canary lays from four to six eggs, and hatches them in about

two weeks. Both father and mother bird take care of the young.

5. In a large cage with two parts, two finches were in one end and two

canaries in the other. The finches hatched out their eggs, but did not

feed their young ones enough. The father canary, hearing their hungry

cries, forced himself between the bars into their part of the cage,

and fed them. This he did every day, till the finches were shamed into

feeding the little ones themselves.

Friends in Feathers and Fur, and Other Neighbors: For Young Folks · 第 80 / 129 题