A PATERNAL CANARY.
This is the true tale of two—now seven—canaries. A solitary bird was provided with a mate and almost at once the two began building a nest in which presently the original hen laid five eggs: That was dutiful, but she never showed very much interest either in the nest or the clutch. Very soon she gave up sitting and presently began to build a second nest. The cock at once shouldered the whole responsibility.
He duly hatched out the eggs and fed the young, and is now teaching them to sing with obvious intention. His dietetic skill is much commended. The expert advisers lay it down that
the young birds should have soft food for so many days and some hard grain thereafter. Both' were supplied to this cock within the first week, but he entirely disregarded the hard grain until the tenth day, which was the exact date laid down in the book of instructions ! As a parallel to a part of the 'story, may be quoted the recent, remarkable discovery about the nightjar. The cock habitually takes over the brooding of the first clutch after about the tenth day, to allow the hen to lay and brood the second clutch. As soon as the first family of youngsters are able to fend themselves he goes off to help feed the seeorid.
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