Moulting. 177 



any more of the cayenne food, or other food for giving colour 

 supplied to them, as it only affects them during the period of 

 shedding their feathers. Those which have been kept covered 

 should also be brought back to the light of day by degrees, 

 and not suddenly, as the change might damage their eyes. 

 The best cayenne to use is Aveper, or sweet pepper. 



RED-FED AND YELLOW-FED CANARIES ALTERATION IN 

 CLASSIFICATION. At a special meeting held at the Crystal 

 Palace Show in 1890, at which many of the most prominent 

 breeders and fanciers of canaries were present, it was 

 unanimously resolved to abolish the classes known as 

 " Cayenne-fed " and " Non-cayenne-f ed," and substitute for 

 these " Bed-fed " and " Yellow-fed " classes, as it is well known 

 that most of the winning specimens shown in the so-called 

 " Non-cayenne-f ed " classes were really cayenne-fed, but so 

 sparely as in many cases to defy detection; hence it was 

 thought that by doing away with the old titles, which pre- 

 vented conscientious fanciers from entering, and substituting 

 the new titles, it would leave it open to fanciers generally 

 to use such condiments or colouring matter as best suited 

 them to obtain the colour they really desired. Now the 

 great difficulty to be overcome is to fix a standard of colour 

 for birds to be shown in the " Yellow-fed " classes, as 

 a great many birds were shown last year that were bordering 

 on the orange, which is neither red nor yellow, but a happy 

 blending of the two. 



It would be well if the conference were to have another meet- 

 ing, and decide upon a shade of colour which could be fairly 

 claimed as yellow either a bright chrome-yellow, a gamboge- 

 yellow, a King's-yellow, a yellow-lake, a yellow-ochre, or a 

 Naples-yellow. The first-named, being the richest and 

 brightest, would doubtless find a majority of fanciers in its 

 favour. If this question were settled, then a freshly-painted 

 piece of wood or cardboard of the proper colour should be 

 placed at the head of each class at every show, for the 

 guidance . of the judges and the public. I consider this the 

 only satisfactory method to <idopt to prevent disputes. Even 



