78 The Canary. 



be satisfied again with the latter. To the great mass 

 of people, however, the former is a bird still unknown ; 

 but we trust now that the show at Sydenham is an 

 established reality, his excellences will soon become 

 more widely known, and his breed be sought after to 

 improve our own. Associated with this breed, the 

 Turncrest will then be indeed a beautiful acquisition, as 

 may be seen from the portrait of our own King Pepin, 

 and to be desired will then need only to be seen. 



In breeding birds of this description, most people in 

 order to obtain the greatest development of crest pos- 

 sible, would naturally select a male and female remark- 

 able for the size and shape of this elegant appendage, 

 and expect to see their offspring still more highly fa- 

 voured in this respect than themselves. But experience 

 teaches otherwise, and emphatically says that if we do 

 thus, the result will in all probability be in diametrical 

 opposition to our wishes. All writers, and every breeder 

 I have spoken to upon the subject, unanimously declare 

 that if we pair two crested birds together, the majority 

 of their offspring, so far from being more highly favoured 

 than their parents, will absolutely be more or less de- 

 ficient in this appendage so much desired, if their heads 

 are not positively bald ! Why this should be the case 

 I cannot tell, nor could I ever obtain any satisfactory 

 explanation of the matter, or, indeed, any reason at all 

 beyond that it is so, which, therefore, I must beg my 

 readers to take as conclusive upon the subject, adding 

 that I myself have never personally put the matter to 

 the test, which, however, after the assurances I have 

 received from practical men, I should be sorry to doubt. 



