322 



JOtJENAL OF HORTICOLTURB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( April 22, 1876. 



I ITo return to Owls in particular. I cannot be persuaded other- 

 wise than that the English and the African Owls are quite dis- 

 tinct varieties. The English variety is mentioned long before 

 the Africans were known, and the latter are mentioned in Mr. 

 Tegetmeier'e Pigeon book as being a great curiosity when intro- 

 d iced at a comparatively recent date. It is certainly curious if 

 our English birds are, as stated, degenerate descendants of the 

 little Africans, how the latter can have been lost sight of during 

 BO many years. Then the colours are against such a supposition. 

 In Africans we have black, blue, and white, principally the last 

 colour; while in English we have blue, yellow, and especially 

 Bilver and powder blues, while whites and blacks are scarcely 

 ever Been. 



To sum-up, Mr. Lyell, as a fancier, no doubt knows that perfect 

 Bpecimens are not to be met with every day, but if he will " just 

 hae patience " he will find that there are pure English Owls to 

 CDrrespond with the description in his quotation, if, as I under- 

 stand it, the beak referred to means such as is seen in what is 

 OiUed a down-faced bird (and therefore resembling the Owl), not 

 an overgrown upper mandible, which is, of course, a malforma- 

 tion. — T. G. Speunt. 



AKTIFICIAL COLOUEING OF BIRDS. 



To- DAT I had the pleasure of a call from Mr. Gresham, who 

 while admiring a Yellow Pouter in my aviary, said, "Do you 

 me cayenne?" At one time I did think of trying it, but gave 

 up the idea, as I do not like anything artificial tending to alter 

 the colouring of Nature in birds. Indeed, however much natural 

 colouring may be intensified by art, whether by external appli- 

 cation, or internal by means of feeding, it appears to me, after 

 a'l the trouble, to be but a hollow victory, a transient show. 

 The application must be repeated each year with more or less 

 Bnccess. 



It is now some time since a great deal of fault-finding was 

 made against certain of our Canary breeders. Some thought 

 their birds were painted, others coloured with dye, and others 

 that the sand used in their cages was the cause of the high 

 colour in their birds. To test this matter even chemists were 

 employed, and because of those surmises, if I recollect rightly, 

 a degree at least of dishonesty was attributed to the owners. I 

 would not be so uncharitable as to say that there was a species 

 of envy shown on the part of the fault-finders, but by-and-by it 

 came out that no external colouring had been used, but that any 

 amount of internal colouring matter had effected the purpose ; 

 and strange, at least to me, this internal artificial colouring has 

 been very generally adopted by breeders of certain varieties of 

 Canaries, and many of their birds have taken highest honours 

 at shows. So far from this being challenged by exhibitors or 

 judges it is now quite understood; the birds are called "hot- 

 fed " birds, and the best dyer has the best prize. Now, I should 

 like much to be enlightened upon the difference between the 

 eSect of outside and inside dyeing or artificial colouring. It 

 looks to me one and the same, and puts me in mind of the Irish- 

 man at the railway station, who politely said, " Will you show 

 me the entrance out, sor ?" 



Supposing this process could be extended to the colouring of 

 Pigeons of all or any colour, it would become a very dangerous 

 weapon in the hands of the unprincipled. We could never be 

 sure of the colour of the birds we were purchasing ; besides, it 

 would have the effect of putting an end to our shows, and reduce 

 our fancy from a science to a mere piece of mechanical jobbery. 



I used to be largely in the Canary fancy, and still have a great 

 leaning towards it ; and were I in it again should try to produce 

 birds of high colour without any artificial means beyond the 

 process of selection. I think this artificial system of colouring 

 should be discouraged. It could be done, though not easily I 

 will admit, but the sooner the better if colour is so essential to 

 carry the honours. While naming colour, as an old Canary 

 f incier allow me to say, though I throw cold water on no one's 

 fincy, that I do not see so much in the mere colour of a bird, 

 particularly of a Canary— j'.e., in the intensity of colour. I 

 t'link there is far more in shape, marking, and size. The Ger- 

 man Canary I keep for song only, and I think, and one of the 

 best judges in England of Canaries agrees with me, that there 

 are only four varieties of Canaries worth the breeding. 



First of all the Belgian for shape. There is grace in every 

 line and elegance in every motion; he is the highest bred bird 

 of all. Second, the Lizard for markings ; beautiful, trig, and 

 unique in all his markings and colour, whether silver or golden. 

 Third, the Lancashire Coppy, Crested or plain for size, and, as 

 the gardeners say, for substance. He is a striking bird to the 

 most cursory observer; and last, the German for his song. 

 What his origin has been I cannot tell, but he and the Norwich, 

 to my eye, are much of the same make. 



Now, some of my friends will say I am down on the Norwich. 

 Not so ; but I can see no difference in form between the German 

 bird, the old-fashioned Canary, and the Norwich. Will anyone 

 enlighten me? Being exceedingly practical, I should Uke to 

 see Bpecimens 11 told there is a difference. — James Hcie. 



SELECTION OP CANARIES FOR BREEDING. 



Although of the greatest importance many make but sorry 

 work of it, pairing with little consideration as to the result ; con- 

 sequently after all their care and expense they are disappointed 

 by continually producing birds below their ideal standard. 



It is not in every instance that like produces like. Birds that 

 have gained a season's honours frequently disappoint those who 

 purchase them by throwing a degenerated progeny, whilst other 

 birds who possess no such evident qualifications to recommend 

 them frequently produce some of the best representatives of 

 their variety. 'This is to be accounted for by the fact that many 

 piizewinners are the results of cross-breeding. 



Oar endeavours should be by constant selection to secure a 

 pedigree stock with known qualifications. Every pair of birds 

 should be matched with a definite object in view. Peculiarities 

 may be perpetuated and thereby made to become properties of 

 the highest order, for they may be so inbred by selection as to 

 establish decided varieties. 



As an illustration we will endeavour to trace the origin of one 

 of our known varieties, and for this purpose cannot inake a 

 better selection than the Cinnamon, which has made rapid pro- 

 gress toward excellence during the last few years. This variety 

 has been acknowledged to have originated in the bronze green, 

 and through an intermediate variety ultimately to have arrived to 

 its present state. Carefully examine any cage of ordinary mixed 

 birds not giving very decided indication of extreme cultivation, 

 and it is more than probable that you will discover some of the 

 Greens with very decided indications of cinnamon colour : this 

 frequently exists about the back and lower extremities of the 

 body. Assuming that we start with a few selected pairs in 

 which this peculiarity existed in the highest degree, it is more 

 than probable that some birds would be produced partaking in 

 a greater or less degree of these peculiarities, but more fully 

 developed; and by again selecting those approaching nearest; 

 the ideal sought we shall continue to strengthen the power to 

 produce the wished-for qualities. But during this process of 

 in-breeding we have degenerated in general physical qualities, 

 which by judicious crossing we are enabled to remedy, and at 

 the same time add to the progeny of such birds properties not 

 hitherto possessed, but which in combination with the cultivated 

 peculiarities of the original birds have produced the variety now 

 distinguished by the designation of Cinnamons. 



Yet it is by no means positive, if we continue to breed direct 

 from the progeny of the last crossing, that we shall perpetuate 

 this excellence. It is necessary that the effects of the cross- 

 breeding should be toned down, l:^ ::;!.■ 



That the yellows and greens are incorporated in this variety 

 we are certain from the frequency of reversions, or sporters, 

 with decided yellow or white feathers from the same nests, or 

 at least from the same parentage, which for several generations 

 have been bred from pure birds. 



At the last Crystal Palace Show there^was a very evident 

 exemplification of the effect of cross-breeding in the high- 

 coloured Cinnamon class. Birds of a most beautiful colour and 

 of splendid proportions very deservedly took the highest honours, 

 although they gave strong evidence of not being of the purest 

 caste. The characteristic features of the Norwich blood being 

 very prominent at once suggested the source from whence their 

 astonishing beauty had been derived. Whilst numbers of birds 

 of the purest Cinnamon blood, most of them the property of 

 one eminent breeder of the variety, gained only honourable 

 mention. These last-named birds had been for years bred only 

 from the finest selections of his own and other celebrated pure 

 Cinnamon birds. 



By crossing all varieties improve, but the direct progeny of 

 such birds degenerate unless neutralised by judicious pairing : 

 hence the difficulties so frequently encountered in our endeavours 

 to secure excellence by breeding direct from a pair of purchased 

 birds with whose descent we are unacquainted, and the necessity 

 of breeding-up from our own stock at least one side of the 

 parentage the properties of whose pedigree we well know. 



Prizewinners have often been bred from judiciously crossed 

 pairs, but it seldom happens that there are more than one or 

 two such birds produced during the season by one breeder ; but 

 by selecting the more favourable-specimens, and again pairing 

 with pure blood, the strain is frequently much improved. 



When pairing for excellence all properties rnust be duly con- 

 sidered, and where any advantageous peculiarity exists it must 

 be assiduously cultivated. Excellence of the highest order can 

 only be arrived at by continuous selection. Form, colour, 

 quality of feathering — in fact all properties, are capable of culti- 

 vation, and may be more or less prominently developed by 

 these means. 



With regard to the Norwich variety — the one wherein colour 

 is an indispensable qualification, how much has been done ia 

 very evident, irrespective of the new means of producing it by 

 feeding. What can compare with the magnificent effect of s 

 rich Buff specimen of this variety or a grand Jonque of the same 

 family ? They are repeatedly being staged at the Palace in the 

 greatest excellence. Amateurs are continually purchasing snob 



