MATCHING. 13 



marks, however, may lead astray, if no in- 

 quiry is made, and no knowledge is obtained 

 of the family from which the pair have de- 

 scended. Having obtained this information, 

 and being certain that the stock is good, 

 breeding may be safely attempted, and all 

 turn out well, and far beyond expectation, 

 even when all the points to be desired are 

 not perceptible, for most of our most beauti- 

 ful fancy varieties have arisen from accidental 

 crossing, and when all the appearances were 

 most unfavorable, and most unlikely, accord- 

 ing to ordinary calculation, to lead to such a 

 result. 



Much must depend upon the skill, judg- 

 ment, knowledge, and taste in the fanciers in 

 canaries, as well as horses and dogs ; but as 

 particular rules, when not slavishly followed, 

 under ignorance of the truth, that the excep- 

 tion is the keystone of the rule, are excellent 

 auxiliaries to the general principle, we sub- 

 join the following, by attending to which, 

 the amateur, with a little patience and prac- 

 tice, may produce varieties, not only to his 

 own delight, but to the envy of others. 



1. A fine jonque cock, of a strong orange 

 color, with much black in his feathers, should 

 be matched with a fine, soft colored, mealy 

 hen, with as little black as possible, except 

 her tail, and wings, which must be regular 

 and true. 



2. For a strong mealy cock, a healthy 

 jonque hen, with a fine soft feather, and re- 

 gularly marked tail and wings, should be 



2 



