2O2 The Canary Book. 



other cases judges look out for exceptional birds and sell 

 them to successful exhibitors, and the result may be better 

 imagined than described. I know of my own knowledge that 

 such things are done, and more than one prominent judge 

 has acted in the manner described. I do not say that they 

 have not acted in good faith, but I think the practice is one 

 that should not exist, and if generally known would be likely 

 to be resented by those who breed their own show birds, for it 

 is a method that is likely to cause prejudice in the minds of 

 exhibitors. The object in getting hold of these birds and 

 showing them is to create a name, and what can be so 

 powerful an advertisement? After their name is established 

 they have seldom any difficulty in disposing of these high- 

 priced specimens at greatly enhanced prices, after having 

 bred from them and exhibited them for one or two seasons. 

 There is always some ardent novice to be found with, as the 

 Tichborne claimant said, "more money than brains," to snap 

 up these birds, and it does not do for an exhibitor constantly 

 to win with the same birds; besides, he generally knows 

 where to get a better, for less money, at the time he disposes 

 of one of his "champions," as all prize winners are now 

 termed. 



Young beginners should take warning and not be misled 

 into the belief that all exhibitors breed their show birds, for 

 it not unfrequently happens, and that among some of our 

 greatest prize winners, that they never bred a single specimen 

 that obtained a first prize, and perhaps not even a second; 

 there are exceptions of course, but they are exceptions 

 certainly. It is not the rule by any means. These successful 

 exhibitors get quite inundated at times with applications for 

 birds, and they have recourse to buying from less fortunate 

 breeders their entire surplus stock at a moderate figure, and 

 retailing them at greatly increased prices. I have heard of 

 one successful exhibitor who, it is said, can clear as much as 

 from two to three hundred pounds annually out of canaries, 

 and I have good reasons for believing that it is not far from 

 the truth. 



