CANARY, or CANARY BIRD, a beautiful little bird, very common as a cage-bird, and much esteemed for its musical powers It is one of the numerous family of finches (fringilli4c), and is fringilla canuria of Linnaeus. Some modern ornithologists place it in the genus cardaelis, others in /biota; it is indeed intermediate between these genera, the goldfinches and the linnets. Some make it the type of a genus or sub-genus, canaria. It is found iu Madeira, the Canary isles, and the Cape Verd isles; frequents the neigh borhood of human habitations; builds its nest of moss, feathers, hair, etc., in thick, bushy, high shrubs or trees; and produces four, five, or even six broods in a season. In its wild state, its plumage is greenish, or greenish-yellow, sometimes tinged with brown, and exhibits less variety and beauty titan in domestication. It was brought to Europe in the beginning of the 16th century. It breeds readily in confinement, and seems thoroughly reconciled to its cage-life; but although canaries of long domesticated races sometimes excel in imitative powers and acquired strains, yet they are surpassed in loudness and clearness of note by some of the wild birds, which, when caught and imported, are occasionally sold for extraordinary prices. Even in confinement, the C.
often breeds four or five times a year, laying from four to six eggs each time. The eggs are pale blue. The male assists the female in building the nest and in feeding the young. Besides seeds of various kinds, which are their principal food, canaries are very fond of bland green leaves, such as those of chickweed, a supply of which is very necessary for their health; and one of their favorite luxuries is sugar. The C. not unfrequently lives 15 or 16 years. It can be taught various notes and airs, and some even learn to articulate words. The rearing and training of canaries afford occupation to no small number of persons, particularly in the Tyrol. The C. hybridizes readily with sonic other species of finch, producing "mules," some kinds of which are Nalued as song-birds.—There are several species very closely allied to the C., one of which, a beautiful little bird, entirely yellow, with an orange crown, a native of Brazil, is some times sold in Britain as a song-bird, but its musical powers are very inferior to those of the common species.