2So 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



AVe say every bird, because practically 

 it is so : and we do not remember having 

 seen more than a very i'ew indeed which, 

 having dark wings or variegation of any 

 kind, had otiicr than a dark crest. \\c 

 have known of a few grey-crested birds 

 having a slight grizzly tick on a, wing or 

 other |)art of the bod3^ AVc have also had 

 and known of wing-marked and variegated 

 birds witii dark crests in the first year 

 moulting out tiic following year with 

 crests composed of light and dark 

 feathers, yet still retaining their variegated 

 body or dark wings. Wc never knew one 

 to regain its dark crest again entirely, 

 after havi)ig once moulted out piebald. 



The first cross from the Coppy will 

 present, as regards shajoe and general 

 conformation, a strong resemblance to the 

 Lancashire, with considerable improve- 

 ment in feather, but this coarse, not- 

 withstanding something of the Norwich 

 imjjress. Although this extreme roughness 

 is in itself most luidesirablc. yet it has its 

 value, because where it exists there is 

 frequently a corresponding growth of crest 

 and a marked enlargement of the iudixidual 

 feathers of which it is coni])osed — a valu- 

 able property, which every endeavour 

 should be made to maintain. AVc might 

 indicate many forms which will probably 

 be founfl in ilic first nests, but they may 

 be sunnncd up in two — refined Co])pies and 

 Plainheads. and coarse nond(scri|)t C'l'csts 

 and Crestbieds. Occasionally wc have 

 bled lirst crosses, both Crests and (rcsl- 

 bi'cds, wiiicli lia\c (iis|ilavc(l so much ol 

 Crest characteristics that they were ex- 

 hibited in these classes and got well into 

 the ])ri/.c hsi. 



or the two classes ])ro(lnccd, wc will 

 deal lirst with what ^v(• lia\'c called llic 

 reliiu'd Coppics and I'laiiihc-ids wliicli lia\c 

 taken largely allcr Ihc Lancashire, and 

 have nealiiess of cresi rallicr than size, and 

 which for I'ul iire operal ions . -ire uol of such 

 value as the coarser NOi'wieh I \ pe ol' birds. 



We thi'l'efore leave these xcry ueal Crests 

 ai^d " I'lainheads "■ (we do not say Cresl- 

 breds on accoiinl of their l,;iueasliire 

 tendencies) alone, unless tliey have more 



than average size, in which case the Crested 

 cocks will prove valuable mates either for 

 Crested-bred hens of a fresh strain or for 

 some of the coarser - feathered Crestbred 

 hens of your own from uests which slu)W 

 most Norwich typi'. If hens, they will 

 jirove perhaps more valuable still to ])air 

 with Ci'csted-brc-d cocks from another 

 si^iaiii, whose Norwich shape is already or 

 neaily fixed, or selected as before. This 

 will in all probability ])ut the breeder well 

 on his journey, for it recjuii'es but fevv 

 crosses back to Crests to produce a fair 

 bird in which the redeeming feature oi an 

 extra good crest atones for minor dehci- 

 eneies. Suitable Plaiidicads from the first 

 crosses are paired back in like manner to 

 good, shapely Crests of Norwich type. 



The i-eal strength of the Lancashire 

 cross will, however, be found in the birds 

 showing a dc])arture from the Coppy shape, 

 for even though connected with coarseness, 

 as good crest can only emanate from plenty 

 of feather we must ])ut up with the surjilus, 

 and by careful mating endeavour to get rid 

 of it as best we can. To this end ])air the 

 best Crested cocks with good, leafy fealhercd 

 Crestbred hens, taking strongly to the 

 Norwich in shape with good heads, size, 

 and colour ])oints anil general neatness. 

 Handsome Crests are sometimes bred small. 

 but a decrease in size will come (piiekly 

 enough by the constant infusion of the 

 mor<' I'eliued t>pe. in which the Co|)|)y 

 Ijlood has been well bred out \vithout 

 being courted too soon by breeding with 

 small hens, unless couiileraeted by a mate 

 with cxlraoi'dinai'v size. The modern Crest 

 of Norwich type is largei' than the Norwich 

 IMainhe.-id projici'. and loses nothing in 

 that 1; speet in natural beauty, .-ind is 

 admitted by all Ci-est breeders to be superior, 

 particularly in size and crest, to the i)ird 

 ol' long ago. 



11' the breeder prel'ei's to \vork with 

 malei'ial m.-ide or parli.-ill\ made, he can 

 do so. and lake a shorter cut by "' picking 



up '" a g I stock bird liei'e and there. 



and import ing frxsh strains cif Crest i)lood. 

 in which the ('op|)y clement has been 

 well mixed and assiniilaled. 



