344 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



becomos more l)rilli;uit in tin- spring, as is the 

 case Willi some of our wild rinclics wIumi 

 assuming their nuptial plumage. 



These are the leading points (tf a Dark Jontpie, 

 and are, as might, he ])resu]>posed, mainly 

 colour-features. To ihciu we may add t-nni- 

 manding size ; and it is worthy of note llial 

 though large size is not common among Varie- 

 gated Jonques, yet among the Selfs it is the 

 rule rather than the exception, arising from the 

 fact that in hrecding Selfs there is no restriction 

 in the selection of muling hens, because any 

 hen, from a Lancashire giantess downwards, 

 will throw a Dark Hybrid, and size is so far 

 under some control ; hul any hen will tml 

 throw a A'ariegated Hybrid, as we shall ])re- 

 sently explain. The most compact form of 

 feather imaginable is also a property, to lack 

 which is to put any otherwise good Hybrid 

 almost entirely out of court : il is, iKtwever. 

 generally ensured by the admixture of the 

 naturally close plumage of the Finch. The 

 same features may be acee|)ted as indicalive 

 of the general characler of the Dark lUilT or 

 Meidy bin!, Ihe distinclion lietweeii I he (wo 

 consisting in Ihe colour, which in the HulT is 

 less brilliani, and if we say yreijcr we sluill 

 perhaps iTicliule the whole in one word. The 

 face is also more Goldliuch-like in type, the 

 lilaze mil exleudiiig so far nor changing so 

 much in character, though even in this there 

 are exceptions. 



We now come to what are called liy many 

 the " Nondescripls." Ihe lirst deparliu'e from 

 the Dark form Ihe " N'ariegated," in which 

 more or less clear feather is jiresent, the slightest 

 break — as we have already inferred in describing 

 the Dark Self — rendering the bird eligible for 

 the class, .\mong these Variegateil birds are 

 to be found splendid examples of form, colour, 

 and feather — birds in which every \aluable 

 property short of technical mai'king is displaNcd 

 in excess. Where separale classes are niNcu 

 for them they are judged eidirel\ for I heir colour. 

 its jiurity, brilliancy, and extent, and e\(i\ 

 good ((uality creep/ marking. Natural beauty, 

 as distinct from technical display, is Ihe actual 

 standard, anil im])lies some degree of regularity 

 pleasing to I lu' e\c. though amenable to no 

 rule. .\ combination of (loldtinch and (Canary 

 traits, sometimes singular in their bcaut\\ of 

 cU'ar and dark colour and disposition to a p|) roach 

 something resembling Ihe recognised forms of 

 standard leehideal marking. These observa- 

 tions apply i>rincipally to Ihe hea\ier ly|)es of 

 variegation, for when it conies to a case in 

 which a Hybrid is almost, but not ([uite, up 

 to the form demanded by the rules binding (ui 

 I-^venly-marked birds, an average display of 

 colour and general good quality will give il a 



prominent place in this class, so valuable is 

 approximate excellence in marking when once 

 it [)asses the line separating il fidui mere varie- 

 gation. In this category, also, arc placed 

 Unevenly-marked Hybrids, though free from 

 the blemishes in liody-fealher which determine 

 variegation as distinct from marking. There 

 is nothing inconsistent in their being so placed, 

 since they meet on a common footing, and are 

 judged, not for their peculiar proi)erty, but for 

 the general good ([ualities shared alike by all 

 belonging to the (;()lour school. There is yet a 

 third shape in which the bona fide Variegated 

 bird appears, which belongs to neither of the 

 above forms, and that is when the entire body, 

 wings, and tail are clear, but the bird is dis- 

 figured by, not a simple tick, but by one or 

 more distinct i>atehes or blotches of dark 

 colour (in the head or neck. Such are diflicull 

 to place ; but assuming the body-colom- and 

 texture of feather to be unimpeachable, the 

 fad of such a display of colour and approxi- 

 mation to the highest type of all, viz. the Clear 

 form, classifies them usually wilh the Clear, 

 I-^venly-marked, and Ticked birds. Such birds 

 might well have a class to themselves, styled 

 " Lightly-marked " which mighl also include 

 two-pointed birds, which are at a disadvantage 

 when competing against Clear, Ticked, and 

 l->venly-marked specimens. Sucli a class 

 would also remove them from competing 

 against the heavily variegated and I'nevenly- 

 marked, to Ihe disadvantage of these two 

 forms. 



in shape anil carriage this Hybrid follows 

 largely after its sire, the Common Brown 

 l.iunel, and if breil fi'dni a large 

 Canary of Noi'wich ly|)e shows 

 line bold attitude and lively 

 movement, and Ihe cocks are free songsters. 

 Like the (lold finch-Canary, they are very hardy 

 and long lived under projier care and feeding. 

 In colour they are much more sombre than the 

 (loldlinch-Canary, and, like il, range from the 

 self-coloured Dark through the phrases of 

 technical variegation u|i to Ihe Clear, which, 

 to breed, means lasting fame, especially if a 

 ^■ellow, the Clear Huff ranking next. The 

 same rules ap|)ly, as regard colour and marking, 

 as for Ihe (ioldlineh Hybrid, except that blaze 

 is non-existent. Specimens are improved in 

 colour by colour feeding, and a " fed " Dark 

 Self, if bred from a large good coloured hen, 

 is \<'iy beautiful, developing in the ^■ellow 

 foiiu a I'icli ruddy uudier, its glisleiiiiig breast 

 showing up tile Linnet peiicillings in beautiful 

 relief. flic usual I'led form is of the irregularly 

 \aliegaled Ixpe. the lilolelies lieing ])alclies of 

 I .innet -coloured feather. .\uylhing like leeh- 

 nieal markina is exceedingly rare, especially 



Linnet= 

 Canary 



