THE BELGIAN CANARY 



115 



that a plumb-line would not show much deflec- 

 tion. Some may differ from us in this respect, 

 but we hold that the line from the shoulders 

 to tlie tip of the tail cannot l)e too straight, any 

 tendency of the tail to deviate from a straight 

 line with the back is a serious fault or blemish 

 in a Belgian Canary. On this question we 

 perhaps hold extreme views, but we have been 

 educated in a severe school, and have for years 

 had opportunities for closely examining some 

 of the grandest Continental specimens, in all 

 of which the line of the back is straight, in con- 

 tradistinction to anything approaching a decided 

 curve or a tendency towards " circling " as it 

 is sometimes termed ; in this point a hard-and- 

 fast line nmsl be drawn between the Belgian 

 and Scotch Fancy. These faults are far too 

 much in evidence in some so-called Belgians at 

 the present time, which have no right to the 

 name Belgian, being simply just crosses from 

 the Belgian and Scotch Fancy, and have no 

 right in Belgian classes. 



Our birds now being nicely steadied, we 

 approach them quietly, first divesting ourselves 

 of our hats, objects of dislike to a sensible 

 Belgian — an evidence of its superior inlelligence 

 and good taste — we gently scratch the under- 

 neath part of the cage with the fingers or a little 

 wand. Just a faint tap and a little scratch to 

 attract attention, and they draw themselves 

 up farther and farther till their legs are perfectly 

 straight and rigid, showing a portion of the 

 thigh : a little more and an encouraging chirrup, 

 and the shoulders are raised, higher and higher, 

 and still higher yet, as if the bird were trying to 

 reach a point which, once touched, still cannot 

 be maintained without continued exertion, con- 

 sisting, not in an undignified straining, but 

 singularly graceful action. In this straining 

 with tlie shoulders the head is depressed and 

 the neck stretched to its extreme limit, not 

 with any distressing exertion, but with the 

 most consummate ease and grace ; and in that 

 posture it will stand, occasionally turning its 

 head on one side and looking up with a soft 

 pensive glance, with nothing defiant about it 

 but just simply an air of thorough-bred gentility 

 and quiet dignity. A bird of very strong nerve 

 will sometimes, when apparently doing its utmost 

 and when at its seeming greatest tension, grasp 

 the perch with renewed energy, and, leaning 

 back till its tail is brought under the perch and 

 one would think it would lose its centre of gravity, 

 literally double itself in a way not unlike the 

 picturesque attitude boys assume in playing at 

 leap-frog, till head, neck, and shoulders form an 

 almost unbroken bend. If in this position the 

 tail should be brought into a curve it is no 

 improvement on the standard idea of perfec- 

 tion of posture, and a bird which can do all that 



is asked of it while still maintaining a perfectly 

 erect stand is to be preferred. 



And now note the direction of the head and 

 beak when the bird is thus extended, as con- 

 trasted with their position when it is " at ease." 

 When at rest, that is, when standing in a fairly 



IDEAL BELGIAN CANARY. 



(By bind permission 0/ Hit: U'littJ Kingdom Belgian Canary 

 Association.) 



erect attitude without being in any way excited, 

 at which time we have said the top of the head 

 and the shoulders are about in the same 

 straight line, then, and only then, is the head 

 in a horizontal position. The moment the bird 

 begins to extend its neck or to " reach," as it 

 is technically termed, and the head is correspond- 

 ingly depressed, its direction is altered, and it 

 begins to point downwards, continuing to do 

 so till, at the extreme point of extension and 

 depression, the previously concave or beautifully 

 hollowed upper line of the neck becomes arched. 



