io8 The Canary Book. 



back, flights, and tail, with a clear or very lightly-marked head. 

 Couple this bird with a green canary having a light breast, 

 bred from the cinnamon-marked strain, or a pretty heavily 

 cinnamon-marked bird full of Norwich Fancy blood will do 

 quite as well. Next procure the largest-marked bird possible 

 one full of Lancashire Fancy properties, and marked as nearly 

 like the Norwich bird already described as can be procured. 

 Couple this bird with a Lizard canary, or, what would be still 

 better, a bird bred between a London Fancy and a Lizard. 

 Having succeeded in rearing young birds from these crosses, 

 put the produce together the following season, and from the 

 birds so bred select the largest and handsomest of the hens, 

 green, or nearly all green, in colour. If there are any with 

 clear breasts and lightly marked about the head, be sure to 

 retain them; if not, choose those which bear the nearest re- 

 semblances to what I have described. These hens can be 

 placed with goldfinches, and their progeny ought to be up 

 to the mark. I like to breed dark mules from young hens, 

 romping and full of life and vigour, with large broad heads, 

 good in colour, and plenty of feathers. 



If it be desired still further to improve the colour of the 

 mules, and there be no objection to sacrificing size and shape 

 to colour, cross the hens for two or three generations further 

 with the Norwich Fancy variety. If, however, shape be pre- 

 ferred to colour, select large birds, such as Glasgow Dons, 

 three-quarter bred, or pure Lancashire Fancy canaries, or some 

 similar variety of large birds for the purpose; but take care 

 to select the birds for these further crosses in accordance 

 with the instructions already given, or the result might not 

 prove satisfactory. In my opinion, size and shape are great 

 acquisitions to a mule; and if with these elements in hand, 

 rich colour, close feather, and, what is most admired of all, 

 a brilliant orange band round the beak and well up over the face 

 of the bird can be obtained, together with a rich, deep, and vividly- 

 coloured breast, there are only required style, contour, and 

 a graceful carriage to complete a thorough show bird and an 

 undoubted prize winner. 



