I50 



be readily distinguished by having the feathers of crown, 

 occiput and hind-neck green with lilac edges, and by 

 the absence of the 3-ellow tint on the occiput 



( To be Continued). 



HYBRID BREEDING. 



By W. H. Vai.e. 



There are few subjects less understood by the 

 ordinary reader of the fanciers' press (much less still by 

 the general public) than the one before us. To the few, 

 and the}-, I think, might almost be counted on the fingers 

 of one hand, the subject has no difficulty, and to them 

 the right road to success is so very straight that it is, we 

 almost might say, difficult for them to go wrong, or 

 to attempt the sometimes considered impossible, without 

 their meeting with success. To those few I do not in- 

 tend to say anything, except wish them still further 

 success, and more fame for their successes yet to come. 



To breed a clear mule, or any of the more rare and 

 beautiful crosses, such as the Canary-Bullfinch, the 

 Redpoll-Bullfinch, the Siskin-Bullfinch, or a very light 

 hybrid from any finch, except the Goldfinch, isa thing for 

 any fancier to be proud of. In some cases, no doubt, many 

 years of patience and hard work have passed before such 

 a result has been achieved; but on the other hand, I know 

 a few who have, as it were, ascended the ladder of fame 

 almost the first time they attempted the task, and pro- 

 duced quite a consternation among breeders of hybrids. 

 Such successes are, no doubt, very surprising to the 

 steady going breeder, who all his life has been trying for 

 something rare, and yet perhaps after 20 or 30 3-ears of 

 trying may never have brought out anything better than 

 a few dark (or possibly a few pied) mules of the Sparrow 

 type, and not worth as many shillings as the lucky 

 beginner's are worth pounds. Still, the successes of the 

 few are a great help to the plodder, and inspire him 

 with new hope and courage to try again. 



To those of our members who are tr3'ing, or antici- 



