io6 The Canary Book. 



body will be found to be scant and thin; in many oases 

 barely sufficient to cover the body in some parts. The appear- 

 ance of the feathers also will be meagre, and not fully 

 developed, but will have the appearance of being pinched and 

 shrivelled up. " Sib-bred " birds are not unf requently deformed 

 in their claws and nails; some of them which have been in- 

 bred for several generations look ghastly, weak, and puny. 

 The best mules that have been bred and exhibited for many 

 years have, as a rule, been produced in the northern counties 

 of England Durham, Northumberland, and North Yorkshire, 

 and in Devonshire, principally in and around Plymouth. 

 Since the " Canary Book " was first published, giving the 

 method of producing exhibition mules, we have noticed a 

 great number of people advertising " sib-bred " hens, and we 

 feel it our duty to warn new beginners and inexperienced 

 breeders to be careful from whom they purchase such birds, 

 as very few fanciers have succeeded in establishing a breed 

 of birds that can be relied on for producing such mules as are 

 worthy of a place on the show bench. There are so many 

 people now-a-days who breed and deal in birds for the sake of 

 profit, that little reliance can be placed upon their statements, 



Further experience has taught me that by breeding double- 

 buffs and double-yellows together for a lengthened period, 

 such birds will, apart from being " sib-bred," produce pied mules. 

 To be more explicit, I mean to breed buffs continually with 

 buffs, and yellows with yellows, without ever crossing them 

 with opposite colours. This I consider a valuable discovery. 



The following will be found a good method for obtaining & 

 reliable strain for breeding light, variegated, and clear mules. 

 Procure two evenly-marked cinnamon hens of the Yorkshire 

 type. All evenly-marked birds from a good strain are sure to 

 be bred nearly akin. To these hens match two clear cocks, 

 bred from an evenly-marked strain, either Yorkshires or Nor- 

 wich birds whichever kind is preferred. The Yorkshires are 

 best when size and symmetry are required, and the Norwich if 

 you prefer colour to size and shape. One pair should be yellow 

 in the ground colour, and the other pair buff. From these 



