BRITISH FINCH AND CANARY HYBRIDS 



343 



expression of the idea of quality. The wings of 

 both Jonques and Mealies (ButTs) are maroined 

 by the pure natural yellow of the Goldfuich 

 wiuG;. This " bloom," as it is termed, adds 

 mueh to the beauty of the otherwise almost 

 colourless flights of the Ruff bird, anil is a 

 strong point in setting oft other good qualities. 

 The ground-colour of a BufI Hybrid is a pure 

 dead white, delicately shaded by creamy 

 tones which, under the effects of colour- 

 feeding, become richer and warmer, particularly 

 on the breast, where the colour scintillates with 

 great beauty. Both forms of the bird should show 

 as much Goldfmch " blaze " as possible, which 

 should be ruddy and full of " hrc." fn the 

 Jouque it is generally evenly distributed and 

 delicately shaded off towards the margin, but 

 in the ButT is sometimes found less so, and 

 occasionally in small disconnected patches, 

 possibly more discernible than in the Jonque 

 from tlie nature of the ground-colour, a ticked 

 form of face having its counterpart in some 

 examples of the Goldfmch itself. These dis- 

 connected ruddy feathers must not be con- 

 founded with the darker specks occasionally 

 present near tlie margin of the face, which 

 are in reality bona fide dark feathers connected 

 with the cheeks, which, whilst not fatal blemishes 

 to a Marked bird, are altogether inadmissible in 

 a Clear. When endeavouring to obtain good 

 marking, size must not be overlooked. 



Thirdly we list the Dark self-coloured Gold- 

 finch-Canary of which a Yellow figures on our 

 coloured plate of Dark Canary Mules. This is 

 the form in which ninety-nine out of every 

 hundred appear, except that many have cither 

 one light feather in the tail or wing, or 

 perhapy two at the back of the head, or 

 perhaps a light throat. Such feathers at once 

 classify the bird as variegated. Forty years 

 ago Dark Selfs were of no value except the 

 cocks, for song purposes, for which they still 

 are in great demand. The dark hens are 

 worthless, though a few are used as foster 

 motliers. Variegated hens are of more or less 

 value according to the beauty of their markings, 

 but they seldom find their way into exhibitions 

 unless of extraordinary merit, and even then 

 are of comparatively little value, owing to the 

 absence of brilliancy of colour and the dash 

 and commanding deportment characteristic 

 of the male bird. But witli regard to the 

 Dark Selfs, these are now bred for from care- 

 fully selected large hens, and a perfect specimen 

 is of more value than an irregularly variegated 

 one, and a good Dark self-coloured bird is a 

 bird of singular beauty. The Jonques are the 

 most taking in appearance, thougli a high class 

 Buff is a grand bird, especially if carrying a good 

 face. A good Dark Jonque should be of a rich, 



warm lironzy-yellow, deepening into a dark 

 shade of rich brown-like colour on the top of 

 the head and back, the distribution of this 

 ground-colour lieing not unlike tliat of the 

 Cinnamon in its varying tones, but darker. 

 The colour cannot be too glossy or too brilliant, 

 and, under colour-feeding, it can be wonderfully 

 intensified in birds bred from hens capable of 

 assimilating the stimulating diet. But wliat- 

 ever its character, it is imperative that it sliall 

 not be broken by the presence of a single clear 

 featlier, however small. The underflue is black, 

 and is generally considered as a test of the 

 ctiaracter of doubtful feathers, in which, if 

 really clear, the flue will prolnibly be clear also. 

 The richest display of warm colour is on the 

 breast, and is continued underneath riglit 

 through to the waist, where, in the highest- 

 coloured examples, it has a tendency to merge 

 itself into yellow. Still, if this yellow shade be 

 compared with the yellow of a Variegated bird, 

 it will scarcely be found to be the same colour, 

 and does not detract from the value of tlie bird 

 as a Self, being, in fact, a guarantee of higli 

 excellence in other respects. It is probably 

 nothing more than an exhibition of the tendency 

 all Canaries, and the Goldfinch also, have to run 

 lighter in colours in the region of the vent, and 

 Ijearsthe same relation to the bird, as a whole, as 

 the corresponding paling of colour does in a 

 Self-coloured Green or Cinnamon Canary, and 

 the distinction between this and bona fide 

 breaking will be easily recognised liy those who 

 know the dilference between the paling of the 

 waist of a pure Green Canary, and the breaking 

 into a yellow which is not green. Having due 

 regard for the prevailing character of vent- 

 feather, some licence is here allowable, and, 

 we think, on substantial grounds. The most 

 dangerous place for a break is at the back of 

 the head, where, not unfrcquently, a few un- 

 mistakable ticks spoil the winning chances of 

 a gem if honestly shown. Some Dark Hybrids 

 will show more of the decided character of the 

 Goldfinch wing than olhers, but the yellow 

 bars and edging should be as full of colour as 

 the bloom on a whin-bush. The greatest beauty 

 of the bird consists in the blaze or flush on 

 the face. This, in the Finch, is of a carmine 

 tint bounded by a cleanly cut line, and covers 

 just so much area that its limits can be seen 

 on a front view. In the Hybrid, however, 

 its character is entirely altered, the blaze 

 spreading over a larger surface, sometimes far 

 down the throat and over a considerable portion 

 of the breast, where the. colour, a fiery red, 

 loses itself among the rich tones with all the 

 delicacy of a carefully-shaded vignette. This 

 effect is much increased by colour-feeding. 

 The colour of the face, and of the bird generally. 



