THE GREEN CANARY 



M5 



nmst be the counteri)art of the recognised 



Yorkshire standard in every particular 



except colour ; and the same holds good 



as regards the Norwich and Border Fancy 



types. 



The colour points of a Green Canary are 



the purity and lirilliancy ol' the green, its 



unil'orni distribution, and the 



D° "y" absence of black stripes in the 

 Points. ' 



feathers of the back — for. the 

 heavier the black stripes are on the back 

 the heavier as a rule are they on the flanks ; 

 the narrower and fainter these stripes are 

 the better the shade of green that is 

 obtained, and the more even is the green 

 coloui' on the back as well as other parts. 

 This is due to the absence of the black 

 pigment from which these black stripes are 

 derived, and which is so nuu'h stronger 

 than the green. 



The flights and tail feathers should be 

 a glossy black, edged with a delicate 

 margin of green. Nowhere must there be 

 seen any indications of running or breaking 

 in the colour, which must throughout be 

 characteristic of a genuine dark rich green 

 self. 



These remarks apply to Yellow and Buff 

 alike ; the BufTs, of course, do not display 

 the lustre or depth of colour on the feather 

 so vividly as do the Yellows ; but in a 

 good Buff the gi'cen is very piu'c in tone. 



Dark coloured beak, legs, feet and toe- 

 nails are also desirable features in a Self 

 Green Canary. 



We like size in both Yorkshire and 

 Norwich type Greens, though, of course, 

 in the case of the Yorkshire size refers to 

 good length without bulk, as the body of a 

 Yorkshire is slim and of upright carriage. 

 The Norwich type should be stout in biuld 

 and stand well across the perch. 



While size is to be desired in both types, 

 colour must be the ruling fcatiu'c. Get 

 size with colour if you can, 

 Colour the |-,y^ good colour must never 

 side^ration" ^le sacrificed for size. Purity 

 and brilliance of coloinv, shape 

 and quality, are the first essentials of a 

 good Green Canary, whether it be of the 

 Yorkshire, Norwich, or Border Fancy type. 



The princijjal thing to be kept in view 



in selecting breeding stock, then, is good 



sound colour, and in the 

 Breeding. \- i . . 



Vorkslnre tyjic to secure 



length, shape, and style without coarseness 

 — features not always procurable on 

 demand, or good Yorkshires woidd not be 

 so valuable as they are. It is the difliculty 

 of producing, or we had better say approach- 

 ing, the ideal that enhances the value 

 and lends pleasure to our hobby. 



In selecting breeding stock of the Norwich 

 type, colour must again lead, followed by 

 shape, combined with size without coarse- 

 ness, for freedom from coarseness as a 

 rule ensures good quality. The same 

 applies equally to the Border Fancy. 

 Soiuid, brilliant colour, and good shape and 

 quality are recjuired ; coarseness in any 

 shape or form mars the combined finish. 



In our description of the bird it was 



stated that there must be no break in the 



colour, Avhich must be 



Variations throughout characteristic of 

 in rrogeny. " 



a genuine dark Self. There 

 are many otherwise good coloured birds 

 that run just a little light on the flanks or 

 at the throat, and this tendency often 

 appears in the progeny where one of the 

 parents is a variegated or foul-marked bird, 

 and the other, of course, self green. The 

 partial light coloured bird is sometimes used 

 to enrich the colour, and at other times to 

 brighten the tone. The light blood in the 

 variegated birds reduces the strength of 

 black pigment in the green. The progeny 

 of these light-throated and light-flanked 

 birds, if otherwise of good colour, can be 

 improved by pairing them back to good 

 Self Greens that have been bred from pure 

 Selfs for two or three generations. 



When striving to get the dark stripes — or 

 "pencilling," as it is called by many breeders 

 • — as fine as possible, with a view to obtain- 

 ing a richer green, the breeder at times gets 

 some birds light on flanks and throat. Such 

 should be paired to birds that are soniewhat 

 heavy in the dark striping on the back, as 

 these are usually a dark shade of colour — 

 a very deep rich green — on the neck, breast 

 and flanks. The pairing of a light-throated 



