256 The Canary Book. 



more plentiful of late years, and this, no doubt, has arisen 

 from the fact that some breeders have had the temerity to 

 introduce a clear- or grey-crested bird of the modern Norwich 

 type into their strain to improve the head of the Coppy, but 

 many of them would now be glad to expunge it, as it has led 

 to smaller sized birds being produced. It is also recommended 

 by some breeders to put two Goppies together, say .once in 

 four or five years, to increase the size and fullness of the 

 crest and width of skull, but it is rare to breed a show bird 

 in this way, although occasionally a good specimen is produced * 

 but it is singular, as well as true, that breeding after this 

 fashion produces loss of length and size generally, and to 

 Overcome this drawback it is considered necessary by some 

 of the most successful breeders of this variety to put two plain- 

 heads together and mate the produce of these with the double- 

 crested bred birds, as the produce of the latter frequently 

 have rough mop crests, or are bald at the back of the head, 

 and by -crossing with double-bred plain-heads, these defects 

 are most quickly remedied. In breeding from two Coppy or 

 crested birds both should be of good quality, with moderately 

 large crests, but free from baldness at the back of the head, 

 bareness at the upper part of the neck, and open centres; 

 neither bird should be too full in body-feather, or coarse off- 

 spring will be the result. The best birds to select for this 

 purpose are a yellow Coppy cock and a buff Coppy hen ; under 

 no circumstances should a Coppy bred from two Coppies be 

 mated with a Coppy again, or the produce will be most un- 

 satisfactory. 



To pair a buff plain-head with a buff Coppy, or a buij 

 ticked Coppy, is a plan often resorted to by the best 

 breeders, as it has a tendency to increase the length and bulk 

 of the body of the produce, and it also increases the length 

 and density of the feathers, but it should only be adopted at 

 intervals of two or three years, or the birds will be produced 

 too rough, and will deteriorate in colour and quality of feather 

 likewise. In following out this plan of breeding the best 

 coloured birds should be selected. Some fanciers breed from 



