ABSTRACT
THE most immediate relation to the goldfinch is the Canary Bird. This beautiful little animal was brought to this country about two hundred years ago, and is now universally domesticated, though it will not bear the winters of this country in the open air. In cages it breeds not only with it’s own species, but with the linnet, chaffinch, and siskin, and even with the yellowhammer. It’s food is chiefly the Phalaris Canariensis, Canary seed; but it will eat other seeds. The note of this bird is extremely loud and shrill, but it can be brought to imitate the song of other birds, and will sing like a nightingale, or a lark, or any bird it is much accustomed to hear. If any one play on an instrument in a room where there are two or three Canary Birds, they immediately begin to sing as loud as they can, as if in emulation of the sounds they hear; but they are equally clamorous, if people be talking.
