A canary is a small finch, originally from the Canary Islands and Madeira, but introduced into Europe several hundred years ago. It is the most popular of all cage birds because of its cheerful singing and friendly nature. Canaries have been bred in captivity so long that many remarkable varieties have developed, scarcely resembling the greenish little bird of Madeira. The topknots of some, the long, slender shapes of others, the yellows, browns, reds and blacks seen in their plumage are all unnatural. The Scotch fancy canary, with his long, slender, curved body, bent almost to a semicircle, is one of the strangest results of breeding.
