CANARY-BIRD. See FRINGILLA. These birds are much admired for their singing, and take their name from the place from whence they originally came, viz. the Canary-islands; but of late years there is a sort of birds brought from Germany, and especially from Tirol, and therefore called German birds, which are much better than the others; though both are supposed to have originally come from the same place. The cocks never grow fat, and by some country people cannot be distinguished from common green-birds; though the Canary-birds are much lustier, have a longer tail, and differ much in the heaving of the passages of the throat when they sing. These birds being so much esteemed for their song, are sometimes sold at a high price, according to the goodness and excellency of their notes; so that it will be always advisable to hear one sing before he is bought. In order to know whether he is in good health, take him out of the store-cage, and put him in a clean cage by himself; if he stand up boldly, without crouching or shrinking in his feathers, look with a brisk eye, and is not subject to clap his head
under his wing, it is a sign that he is in good health; but the greatest matter is to observe his dunging: if he bolts his tail like a nightingale after he has dunged, it is a sign he is not in good health, or at least that he will soon be sick; but if his dung be very thin like water, or of a slimy white without any blackness in it, it is a sign of approaching death. When in perfect health, his dung lies round and hard, with a fine white on the outside, dark within, and dries quickly; though a feed-bird seldom dungs so hard, unless he is very young.
Canary-birds are subject to many diseases, particularly imposthumes, which affect the head, cause them to fall suddenly from the perch, and die in a short time, if not speedily cured. The most approved medicine is an ointment made of fresh butter and eapon's grease melted together. With this the top of the bird's head is to be anointed for two or three days, and it will dissolve the imposthume: but if the medicine has been too long delayed, then, after three or four times anointing, see whether the place of his head be soft; and if so, open it gently, and let out the matter, which will be like the yolk of an egg; when this is done, anoint the place, and the bird will be cured. At the same time he must have figs with his other food, and in his water a slice or two of liquorice, with white sugar-candy.
Some are so curious as to breed these birds in Britain; and these have excelled all others. Such of the Canary-birds as are above three years old are called runts; those above two, are called eriffes; those of the first year that the old ones bring up, are called branchers; those that are new-fown and cannot feed themselves, are called pushers; and those that are bred up by hand, nestlings.