^20 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



c.s))('cially when sustained in the desired 

 ])()siti()n. The head shoidd be small and 

 neat, and the beak fine, giving a neat finish 

 to the head. A good head has all that 

 pretty, graeeful style of modest carriage 

 and all the delicately soi't expression be- 

 longing to the Belgian character, with 

 nothing bold or vulgar. 



The neck should ))e long and rather 

 slender, as if drawn out, tapering finely 

 in harmony with the head at that end, 

 gradually expanding to the shoulders and 

 breast, giving a harmonious finish to these 

 particular parts, which are of gi'cat im- 

 portance in the shape of the body- The 

 shoulders should be prominent, like the 

 Belgian, hul tianaic. being well braced 

 togethei', well filled in and clothed with 

 feather, giving a nicelv rounded finish to 

 the top of the shoulders, in direct contrast 

 to the square top of the Belgian. There 

 should be good de])th through from the 

 point of breast to the jieak of shoulder ; 

 the breast shoidd not be broad, but run 

 olT somewhat to a j)()iid, though the jDointed 

 tendency should not in any way break the 

 concave of the breast and body. The 

 junction of the neck expanding at this 

 jKiiiit when the l)ird is in position, gives the 

 breast the a])])earance of being arched out 

 with a spokeshavc. yet at the same time 

 lea\ing ])lenty of substance. 



'i'lic hack from the shoulder shf)\dd be 

 naiTow and round, oi' eon\'e\, of good length 

 and well filled: the wings sho\dd be long 

 and carried closely and compactly in 

 harmony with the body, exposing jilcTity of 

 side, which assists materially in defining the 

 contour of the bird. Nothing can com- 

 pensate for slovenly wing carriage, it simply 

 ruins the whole contour. The tail should 

 be long and closely folded, well packed at 

 the base, and gradually cni'xed in towards 

 the ])erch, coming under the ])eich at the 

 tip, and forming a coni inual ion of the 

 curve given by the round back. The lower 

 coverts and vent feathers play an important 

 part in the continuance of the unbroken 

 curve of body and tail, and give the recjuired 

 finish, too, where the body ends and the tail 

 begins. The long body should gradually 



The " Hop. 



taper away from the breast In the vent, 

 giving a fine, synmietrical linish to the 

 waist without any tendency to break. 



The legs shoidd be long and well clothed 

 at the thighs with short close feather, and 

 the thighs lie well into the body, but show 

 no tendency of being cow-hocked or stilty. 



The bird should take a firm grip of the 

 perch with its feet, so as to Inne full com- 

 mand of its jiowers ready for 

 the indispensable "hoi>." which 

 it must ])erform ail iih. without disturbing 

 or ruffling a leather, and without opening 

 its wings to assist it in any wa>-. To 

 " travel " jiroperly the bird nuist be 

 ]<ossesscd of two requisites, " nerve "' and 

 " action."" If the cage be taken in the 

 hands gently and (piietly without alarming 

 or in any way disturbing the Inrd. which 

 we will su])pose to be in the attitude of 

 " attention," as seen in the cut on ])agc l-i.5. 

 and if the thumi) of the hand, which we will 

 suppose to be elevated against the wires at 

 the end of the cage next the bird, be 

 suddenly depressed, the bird will ho]) to 

 the other i)erch and instantly face about 

 and assume its position, continuing to do 

 this almost any number of times at com- 

 mand, showing in its action its true shape 

 and never once attempting to flurry itself. 

 The promptness with which it acts, the 

 liveliness of its motion, and the sharp way 

 hi which it whisks itself round into position, 

 determine the merit of the ])erformancc. 



This free action is not insisted upon 

 now to the extent il wr.s in the days of the 

 old Glasgow Don, or we should sec less of 

 the Belgian slifTness displayed in modern 

 Scotch Fancies. 



Close-fitting body feather is not strictly 

 enforced, but it certainly display.s the 

 shape of the botly to greater advantage 

 than when loose. 



Such is the description of an ideal 

 Scotch Fancy, and to realise it the reader 

 must sec a good specimen 

 in form in its show cage. 

 To obtain this the cage is 

 held, and a gentle scratch given to the 

 bottom with the finger-nail ; the bird then 

 grips his perch as if trying to pull it over. 



The Ideal 

 Position. 



