56 THE ROLLER CANARY 
the quality of the grandchildren. Perseverance, patience, 
good judgment, and an attentive musical ear; these are 
the attributes necessary to a Roller breeder. 
One final word as a plea. If you use the song box, 
take the cage out at least once a day for an hour, and so 
give the bird an airing and encourage him to hop about 
and preen his feathers; make his little life a happy one, 
give him all the liberty and enjoyment you can. 
THE FIXING OF THE SONG 
It is generally conceded that when the bird has 
recovered his song after the second moult that song is 
fixed for good. There can consequently be very little 
reason why the older birds should not be permitted to 
enjoy more light and liberty, and live to a good old age. 
What are the qualities to seek in a Schoolmaster? 
Upon this hangs the result of our breeding. After 
careful, judicious pairing of our birds we may by 
inattention to this vital question spoil our labour by 
damaging the song through faulty selection of a tutor. 
It is immaterial how a tutor commences his song, so 
long as it starts with a good tone. Some think that a 
start on the Bell tours may damage the young cocks by 
encouraging them to sing only light stuff. This, how- 
ever, will not occur so readily as in the case of a tutor 
starting on deep tours, and finishing up with Bell tours, 
which linger on as if they never wished to finish. Under 
either such tutor you will always get birds who will 
start with Bell tours. 
It is better to have a tutor who starts with a light Bell 
or Bell Roll, followed, say, by Hollow Roll or Bass, 
