The History of the Canary.
About 350 years ago a ship, returminsf from thp island" in tho Atlantic which ip"oplc then called the Fortunate I*les, but which were undoubtedly the Canaries, went ashore on the coast of Itolv. near Leghorn.
A c*s;e of beautiful birds car>hired in those islands was broken and the bin's wore liberated. Through some caprice they did not take refuge on the mainlamd, 'but went to the Mand of Elba, where in due time they nested, and bred. K^ i^creaeed in numberi?.
The Italians discovered that they were admirable Gingers, and began to capture them and soil them zv cages. This gave rise to a traffic which soon romj>!ete>lv cleared the islsmd of Elba of "canary birds." so that not one was left there in a wild staito.
From that time the history of ihe ca.nary Lao been a record of perpetual imprisonment and transformation of his appearance and character. In their natural state, as they still exist in the Canary and Madeira and other Athmtio island*?, the birds are of ft greyish-green or trreenish-brown colour, and arr> not remarkab'e for beauty; but they have bpen known to burst the membrane of their throats in pom ing (oith their song.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 80
Word Count
204The History of the Canary. Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 80
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