The Belgian. 217 



account they are great favourites with most fanciers. They soon 

 get accustomed to and become familiar with their regular 

 attendants, and display very little of that timidity and nervous- 

 ness so perceptible in many of the other varieties I refer mor<> 

 especially to birds kept in a room set apart for their sole use, 

 and which are only visited occasionally ; and were it not for one 

 or two important considerations, they would doubtless become 

 the most popular favourites of all true canary fanciers; the 

 first of these is that they are naturally of a delicate constitution, 

 as a rule, and appear to be predisposed to asthma and consump- 

 tion, maladies not easily curable, and which carry off the 

 major part of them; they like warmth, and it is a difficult 

 matter to get birds of this breed strong enough to inure them to 

 a room without fire during the winter months of the year. If 

 they were kept in a room where a moderate and regular tem- 

 perature could be kept up during the coldest period of the year, 

 and when the north and east winds prevail, by means of hot 

 water pipes or other contrivances, they no doubt would thrive 

 well, and ultimately we may produce a race of birds more vigo- 

 rous and healthy than those of the present day. Another draw- 

 back is the enormous price which prize birds of this variety 

 usually bring, more particularly when you consider that the best 

 and hardiest bird of its race would be so completely " used up " 

 if it were sent round to compete at every show during one entire 

 season, that it would be, literally speaking, worthless for the 

 purpose of breeding from, if it did not kill it outright. I mysel f 

 have known as much as 12 paid for a single bird, but I must 

 confess that, taking him " all in all," I have not " looked upon 

 his like again." Great care should be taken of Belgian canaries 

 during the moulting season, as at this time, more than at any 

 other, they are likely to contract the diseases before mentioned; 

 they ought invariably to be kept covered over during this 

 eventful period in their lives. 



BREEDING. In selecting stock for the purpose of breeding, 1 

 would recommend fanciers to purchase nothing but good birds. 

 I do not mean all prize birds, or even show birds, but one of the 

 parents at least ought to be par excellence, and for this purpose I 

 prefer the male bird to excel in the qualities which are most 



