CHAPTER XX 



THE GRKEN CANARY 



The name of this breed — or even that of ably as rcirards shajic, earriaire, and (inahty 



" Crass-Greens," us they are sometimes with other branehes of the Yorkshire 



called — singularly fails to convey a correct Canary. But fanciers of the 



idea of the colour, for we have vet to see JyP^s of (Ji-een Canary have advanced 



a true Grass-Green Canary. We shall, " l)eyon(l this. and to-day 



perhaps, not make matters much clearer %\c have three distinct types of the bird for 



if we say the colour is a very green green, which classes are provided at our shows. 



and that in the purity of the green and its They are the Yorkshire, Norwich, ;uul 



freedom from any tinge of orange or yellow Border Fancy, to say nothing of many tliat 



consists its value. arc bred in the Scotch Fancy variety of this 



There are, of course. Yellows and Bull's colour. Each section continues to make 



among these Canaries, just as in their lighter splendid ju'ogrcss in type and colour, and 



coloured relatives. As a race they belong the adoption of the various types to breed 



almost exclusively to the North, which was to has greatly increased the number of 



their early home, and still remains so. breeders and birds by giving a wider scope 



Certain forms of them peculiar to certain for individual taste, and this in time will 



districts almost constitute, indeed, a ensure the Greens being taken up more 



separate colour family, and at one time generally throughout the country. 



no schedule issued in the North would We cannot see our way clear to pronounce 



have been considered complete without a the Green Canary a distinct variety on tlic 



class for the po|)ular '" (;rccn Canary " — ground of its colour, which 



a somewhat vague definition, it nuist be '^°* ^.''''?° is sinuilv the basic form of 



, . , ' , . tinct Variety. ' ■ 



admitted, and attachmg it to no particular several varieties from which 



variety. As regards shape, it Wduld have clear plumage has been gradually dcveli)]Hd. 

 been diilicult to assign some of them a If wc acce|)t that theory as the foundation 

 definite ])lacc, as the fanciers of the colour of its claim, then must we admit Green 

 in the old days developed it on any base Scotch Fancies into competition with any 

 according to taste, and the bird a])peaie(l (Jrccu form, siin])ly because they are green 

 in all shapes, from indilTerent Belgian -a most alisurd proceeding. More in 

 down to tlic nondescript type known as accordance with the prinei])les of natural 

 " Common." In most instances, howcvci'. arraiigenunt is it to classify under each 

 length, erect stand, smart build, and other variety the dilTerent forms of colour in 

 characteristics of the Yorkshire indicated, which that \ariety appears, but such stiict 

 if not the i)i'obablc source of the main attention has been ])ai(l, and continues to 

 stream, at all events the direction in which he paid, to llic breeding of Greens as a 

 it w;is wished to divert it. spccialil\' in the three varieties named, 

 l''or many years the ^'o|•ksllil•c type was that wc think the bi-ceding of the Green 

 the only one gi\'en serious attention bs Cinarv worlhv a cha|)tcr to itself; Icav- 

 breeders of the (ircen Canary, and so well ing, of conrsc, tlicir classilication in accord- 

 did they progress in that direction that lo- ancc with the various types of bird bred 

 day the Yorkshire Green compares faxonr- to That is, a lircen of the Yt)rkshire type 



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