The Yorkshire Fancy 263 



no birds should be allowed to be shown in an unevenly-marked 

 class with less than two distinct and visible marks or patches 

 of a dark colour. When ticks are so slight as to be almost 

 invisible to the naked eye, there can be no valid objection to 

 their being shown in a class for clear birds, and such birds 

 are almost invariably bred from clear birds. 



CLASSES. There are six classes of Yorkshire Fancy canaries, 

 and these are generally divided as follows: Clear yellow 

 clear buff, evenly-marked yellow, evenly-marked buff, ticked or 

 unevenly-marked yellow, ticked or unevenly-marked buff. 



POINTS. The principal attractions about these birds are their 

 size and shape, more especially the latter. Another desideratum, 

 and one which ought not to be overlooked, is great length in 

 body. The longer you can get a bird, provided always it is 

 correct in shape, the more valuable it is on this account. 



The form mostly admired is that usually termed " straight," 

 i.e., running level all over, from the crown of the head to the tip 

 of the tail. The head should be small and sleek (the cheeks 

 having the appearance of. being chiselled) and somewhat flattish 

 on the crown ; the neck long, straight, and thin ; the shoulders 

 ought to be moderately broad, but not prominent ; the back well 

 filled up, but flat and level throughout. The wings are required 

 to be long and well braced together, meeting at the tips, but 

 they must not overlap each other this is a fault in a bird of any 

 breed; the waist should be long and rather slender; the body 

 inclined to be thin, and flattish at the sides ; the tail must be of 

 good length, close and compact in form ; the legs long, substan- 

 tial and inclining to be straight, with good thighs ; there should 

 be no appearance of a frill on the breast; and a good bird 

 ought likewise to be very close in feather, and look as if it had 

 been carved out of marble, a real model; colours, pale brim- 

 stone, yellow, and pale buff. The attitude should be a little 

 dignified and commanding, but withal easy and graceful. By far 

 the handsomest birds, however, of this particular breed are the 

 evenly four-marked variety. 



The evenly-marked birds are rarely so good'in shape and style 

 as the clear birds, but this could not reasonably be expected, 



