CHAPTER XVIir 



BREEDING THE NORWICH CANARY 



The first thing to be mentioned in con- and puiriuu two UiilTs has just the contrary 



ncction with l)rccding tlie Norwich or any elTect, and we do not wish to apply it, 



other variety of Canary is that, in pairing, at present, in any other direction. It will 



the general rnic is to put a Yellow and a be seen that there is here scope for the 



Buff together. It is inmiaterial which exercise of a considerable amount of skill 



sex is the one colour or the other: but, on the ]iart of the breeder, who. in the ])nr- 



except in .special circumstances, the arrange- suit of the many ]ioints of excellence 



ment must be as we have said. The first recognised by la.ucicrs of this variety, 



object is to ensure the jiroductiim of good must nuiintuiii. from end to end, fine (piality 



feather ; the BulT supplying the close, of feather. It is in this respect that 



compact clement, and the ^'ellow the Canary-breeding differs so materially from 



silkiness of texture and the colour. There jjoullry-brccding. "We have two distinct 



is no rule that has not its exccj)tion. nor descriptions of feather, which wc are 



are there wanting occasions when this hound to mingle ; to maintain, as it were, 



order of things is not adhered to : l)ut both mirface and ^raiii of the page to be 



it is only de])artcd from when si)ecific printed ; and this it is which renders our 



results are desired. It may be. ])crhaiis. work doubly dillicult. AVc have the same 



that some particular strain, got d in all ends in view as regards the ])r(Hluction of 



other points, has. from some necessary certain fancy ]K)ints in feather, but wc 



line of procedure in breeding, become too have to work with these two distinct 



thinly feathered or the contrary, in which (jualities of material, which wc cannot 



case it may he acKisablc lo |>:iir two Bulls always get. The one object we may be 



or two ^'cllftws to counlcnict t his tcndencN" keeping steadily in view may be ra])i(lly 



in cither direction : and it may even be assuming its desired ])i'o])orlious ; hut 



found necessary to continue such treatment "we require, from the lime of laying the 



for one or two gcnci'ations. till the required foundation-stone, that the same [iropei'ty 



texture has been ohtaiiKil. which we arc seeking to dc\-elop shall be 



In the case of double hulling, a J5ulT ju'escnt in the /rir* birds wc ])aii-. This it 



can l)e selected to pair with birds that may \u>\ be so dillicull to lind. hut these 



have been double hiilTed. bred from \'cllo\v hirds nuist. as a. rnk'. he due liiifi and the 



and Biiff, if it is fdund necessary lo douhlc ntlu i- >/cll(m\ and we ha\e no guarantee 



bnlf more than (me season in suceessinn. that we shall lind such iii Ihe ucsis wc 



By this means undue sacriliee of eoloui' lia.ve reared with such sti-jet regard to the 



and silkiness oT texture in the feather is development of the hmey points sought. 



avoided. W'c ha\-e lo search for these puiuts iu two 



There may be othei- causes for such dilTerenl forms of bii'ds, and wc have uo 



pairing — as, foi' instauei'. to avoid too rule by which we can determine the \va\- to 



close eousauguinily ; but it |iri ducc these two fcnius with anything 



Difrerence ^^^^^^^ j^^. im,!,,,.,,),,,,,! that like certainlv. The success of our oin-ra- 



tn reather. ' 



the rule, as applied to /('rt/Z/rr. tions may de])end upon an even balancing 



is, p;iiring two Yellows intluees thinness, power in Ihe directidii ol Bulls and \'ellows 



224 



