Those canaries, that have the upper part of the body of a dusky grey or linnet brown, and the under part the yellowish green of the green-bird, with dark brown eyes, are the strongest, and most nearly resemble the primitive race[53]. The yellow and white often have red eyes, and are the most tender. The chestnut are the most uncommon, and hold a middle rank for strength and length of life between the two extremes. But as the plumage of the intermediate ones is a mixture of these principal colours, their value depends on the pretty and regular manner in which they are marked. The canary that is most admired amongst us now, is one with the body white or yellow, the head, particularly if crested, wings and tail, yellowish dun; the second in degree is of a golden yellow, with the head, wings and tail black, or at least dusky grey. Next follow the grey or blackish, with a yellow head and collar; the yellow, with a blackish or green tuft, which are very much valued. As for those that are irregularly spotted, speckled, or variegated, they are much less sought after, and are used to pair with those of one colour, white, yellow, grey, brown-grey[54], and the like.
The female can scarcely be distinguished from the male, but the male has generally deeper and brighter colours, a head rather larger and longish, a longer body, a more elegant form, neck not quite so short, and higher shanks. There is a feather under the beak, of the shape of a bean, placed lower than the rest, and the temples and circle round the eyes are of a deeper yellow than the other parts of the body.
The length of the canary is five inches, of which the tail measures two and a quarter: the beak, five lines long, is strong, very pointed, and whitish; the shanks, eight lines in height, are of a flesh-colour.
I shall end this description with an account of the different mule birds obtained from the canaries.
MULE CANARIES.--1. _Mules between a Canary and a Goldfinch_, present in their plumage an agreeable mixture of the colours of their parents. The most beautiful which I have seen was greyish ash-colour in the middle of its crest, and silvery white on the rest of its head and nape; a broad orange border surrounded the beak, and the neck was adorned with a white collar; the back was a dusky grey, with black streaks; the rump white, the under part of the body of a snowy whiteness; the under tail-coverts, the wings and first quill-feathers white, but the others, as well as the coverts, black, edged with yellow; the middle of the wing was also adorned with a beautiful golden yellow spot; the white tail had a black spot on the sides, the white beak was tipped with black, the feet were white. The mother of this beautiful bird was white, with a greenish grey crest. In general, one may be sure of fine birds when yellow or white females are paired with goldfinches.