Alas for the bird who was born to sing! 
They have made him a cage; they have clipped his wing;
They have shut him up in a dingy street,
And they praise his singing and call it sweet;
But his heart and his song are saddened and filled
With the woods and the nest he never will build,
And the wild young dawn coming into the tree,
And the mate that never his mate will be;
And day by day, when his notes are heard,
They freshen the street, but—­alas for the bird! 

          
                                                      R. F. Murray. 

HOW TO CARE FOR A CANARY.

The original home of the canary was in the Canary Islands.  These are warm, sunny islands not far from the west coast of Africa.  Winter is almost unknown there, and before the bird-catchers came the canaries must have led happy lives.

The birds were trapped and sent to all the countries of Europe.  The first canaries brought to America came from Germany in 1842.  It was a long voyage in a sailing-vessel, and many of the poor little prisoners died on the way.

The birds are put into wicker cages so small that there is scarcely room to stretch their wings.  These cages are packed in boxes or crates, and one hundred and sixty-eight birds are sent in one crate.

The birds are kept in the tiny cages until they are sold.  The cups of food and water are put inside the cages.  Sometimes when they are moved to a larger cage, the birds do not know where to look for their food.  They have been known to die of hunger because they could not find their seed-cups, which in their new cages are on the outside.

Every day, when the cage is cleaned, fresh water and food should be placed in it.  Birds like a daily bath in a shallow dish of tepid water.  After the bath they should have an hour or two of liberty.  It is unkind to keep them shut up in a cage all the time.

After a bird has had his morning frolic he should not be chased or frightened into his cage.  When the little fellow is hungry he will be glad to go back, especially if he sees there a bit of food that he likes.  In time he will even learn to fly to the outstretched finger of his master or mistress, and to answer, as well as he can, the caressing tones which he loves.

A canary is one of the most sensitive creatures in the world.  A harsh or sudden noise disturbs it, and a severe fright may kill it.

Canaries like the sunshine and dread the cold, but they should not be left in the sun in warm weather.  Do not hang the cage in a draught or away from the light.  It should be about five feet from the floor and not too near a register or radiator.

Once a month the cage must be thoroughly washed and the perches scalded, if you wish your bird’s home to be healthful.  The floor and perches will also need cleaning every day.  Coarse sand should be sprinkled on the thick, brown paper which covers the bottom of the cage.  At night put the cage in a dark room or spread over it a square of soft, dark material, in such a way that the air is not shut out.