CHAPTER XXIII 



THE BORDER FANCY CANARY 



This is one of the sniullest of tlie Canary 

 I'aniily, and is also the most recent addition 

 to its recoonised varieties. There is no 

 need to enter into the early Iiistory of this 

 bird beyond sayino- that, hke ah others, it 

 is a braneh of tiic eonnnon stock, but bred 

 to a certain type aijpeahno- to tlie tastes of 

 the peo])le in the Border district from 

 wlicnce it takes its name. Tlie Borders of 

 Scothuid and Cumberland have lontj been 

 — and are to this day — its strongiiolds, 

 thou^li its cult has spread throughout the 

 United Kinodom. The tvpe is now firmly 



iui;. it should be noted, is not recognised in 



this variety. 



In build the Border is liohtly made, 



compact, and very close in feather. It is 



not fjuite so clml)b\' as a 



Points of German, nor quite so thin 



the Border. ^ ' 



as a small Yorkshire, but a 



ha]ipy medium, just showing a little more 

 fullness of chest than a Yorkshire, and 

 having a nuich shorter body. The head 

 is small, round, and neat, with well-formed 

 cheeks, free from any tendency to mean- 

 ness. The beak is small and rather finelv 



established by careful selection and the tapered, eye bold and bright, neck fine and 



judicious introduction and breeding-in of 

 Cinnamon, NorMich, and Yorkshire lilood 

 to assist in ))erfecting the Border's desired 

 characteristics. 



The variety for a brief time towards the 

 end of the eighties of the last century was 

 called Ihc " Cuml)erlaTul Fanev." imt as 



proportionate, forming a harmonising junc- 

 tion between head and body. The back 

 filled, with a nice level ai)pearancc 



is we I 



I'uuning in an almost straight line, with 

 just a gentle rise over the shoulders to the 

 ti)) of the tail. It is important that the 

 tail should be carried out in direct line with 



this created some feeling aiuougst breeders the body and have no tendency to droj). 



on the Scottish side of the Border, its The chest is nicely roimded, neither heavy 



present name was agreed upon. nor ])rominent, the l)ody cutting or ta])er- 



Since 1890 the Border Fancy Canary ing away gradiuxlly to the \-ent. The wings 



has made rapid progress, for about that are neatly folded, and must be tight and 



time its l)ree(lers agreed upon a standard close fitting to the body, just luceting at 

 of iHTlVction which was adopted by the 

 Border Fancy Club, founded on Jnlv ")tli 



of that year. This proved the beginning 

 of its success, as there was now a definite 

 ty])e to which to breed, and no longer were 

 indixidual breeders left to guess at the 

 essential points of a good bird and to give 

 good, natural coloui- and marking their 

 first consideration. I'ixing upon a stan- 

 dard has not resnlled in the neglect of 

 good, natural colour and of ni. irking, but 

 type and (|ualily now lead the way. 

 whether it be a Clear. Kveiil\ Marked, 

 CJreen, oi Cinnamon JJorder. Colour-fced- 



tlu' tips. The tail. also, nuist be neat and 

 closely folded, well filled in at the root, 

 resend)ling somewhat the stem of a l)i]ie, 

 the whole bird harmonising as if turned 

 out of a mould, so short and eom|)a<'t is 

 the body feather, and this should cany a 

 nice silky sheen o\er its entir'c sui-faee. 

 The legs are of medinin length, showing 

 little or no thigh, and tlii' feet coi'respond- 

 ingly neat, toes and nails |)erfect in forma- 

 tion. 'I'lie length of the bird should not 

 exceed .")•,', inches, '{"he colour, of whatever 

 shade, should be rich, soft, anil pure in 

 lone: the position seiui-crect, standing at 



290 



