156 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



Interesting results obtained by direet 

 seientilie experiments were eonniuniieated 

 by J)r. Sauermann to the Vienna Ornitlm- 

 logieal Association {Die Sclnvalhe. A])ril 

 30 and May 15. 18!K)). He asecrtained 

 definitely in regard to cayenne that the 

 j)il)erine. or hot ingredient of hot ]K'1)ikis. 

 had no part in the result : that the coloin- 

 coiu])onent given ])ure liad also very little 

 effect, and that it was most ettieaeious 

 when given in chemical combination with 

 albmiien or lat. 



Tlie dilliculty becomes greater still when 



wc consider the general law governing 



coloiu- in animals : for there is 



S^"'""*" such a law traceable. If we 

 Laws. 



heal a coloured oxide we are 

 expanding it, and also, as a scientist would 

 say, " adding cneigy " to it : and even 

 in this sini[)le case, the usual result is to 

 change its colour towards a tint nearer 

 what a jihysicist terms " the red end of 

 the spectrum."" If a globule of e(>j>]icr 

 borate, which is l)lue. be heated, it turns 

 green. If yellow oxide of mercury be 

 heated it gradually turns orange, red 

 brown, and finally almost black. Now, 

 very curiously, it seems as if a general 

 rule can be traced by which animal colom-s 

 also, starting from the highest degree oi 

 vitality or energy, tend, as we diminish 

 this, to change in the converse order of 

 black (the highest), brown, red. orange. 

 gi'ccn. bine, white. This law exjilains 

 most changes, just as an infant gains 

 strength, and ayain declines in energy 

 with old age or from pi'ivation. Children's 

 hair generally changes from xciy light or 

 yellow to red or brown or black : while 

 with .age conies grey and white. Thus it 

 seems that richer coloiu' may ])robably })e 

 the clTcct of cillicr more \itality or greater 

 heat of the blood. Ivistcrn breeds of 

 fowls lay brown eggs, and the early native 

 Cochins were darker, more ciimamon. than 

 the colour atlained by the birds in our 

 colder clinic. Canaries were green our 

 warm rooms and more si imul,-it ing fund 

 have doubtless assisted to make them 

 }-cllow. 'J'lic nest leal hers — that is, (he 

 first feathers uhicli apixar on the body 



arc much paler in colour than the second 

 feathers, which come after the lirst moult. 

 even if the birds arc not colour-fed : but 

 if colour-fed on still nioi-e stininliiting food. 

 many become orange I'cd. Tliis sliows at 

 once that it is not a (piestion of stain, but 

 the action of the food ujion the blond, 

 and subsequent feather of the bird. 



Instead of a "food."" it would be more 



correct to call it a tonic mixed with food, 



for the capsicum is nothing 



What is 1 4. j-i 1 • 1 1 



CoIour=food ? ""*'^. "O"" '^**^ *" *'>^' '^'«1- ""'^ 



requires to be mixed with 



other nourishing food in some form or other. 

 It has also been said that the colour-food or 

 tonic must be given each time the l)ir(l 

 moidts. otherwise the rich shade of colour 

 is not reproduced. This is (piitc true, and 

 it is only reasonable to expect that we nnist 

 again give the coloiu'-food whenever the bird 

 changes its coat. If wc would have the 

 new coat the same rich colour, we must 

 have the blood in the same eonilition 

 as when that rich coloiu- was fii'st pro- 

 duced. Herein lies the secret of success. 

 For imj^arting a gloss to the feathers 

 linseed has few equals. There was a 

 time when this was a guarded secret 

 amongst the experienced breeders. Would 

 anyone be insane enough to say it 

 is fraudulent to give this seed to a bird 

 with the object of obtaining gloss on the 

 feathers ? Where is the difference between 

 giving this for one special end. and heating 

 tonics for another '! 



We said that the use of somethinii, to 

 ]iro(lucc colour became a connnon ])ractice 

 with all breeders ; ])erhaps we had better 

 say nearly all : and among the many 

 " somethings "" weri' included marigold 

 flowers, strong solution of salTron. cochineal, 

 port wine. Ijcetroot, dragon's blood, tur- 

 meric, annatto. mustard-seed, and otiici- 

 comestibles, the pi'incipal feature of wliicli, 

 it is evident, was the possession of colour. 



J?ut the entire exhibition world was 

 destined to be re\<ilnt ionised by one 

 im|)oiiant diseo\-ery wliieii was made in 

 ISTl. In the search after the |)hiloso- 

 plier's stone an cx]ilorer " struck ilc."" We 

 lia\i- read how some of the .\ustralian 



