The Modern Cinnamon. 277 



him with a very high-class Cinnamon hen, my object being to 

 breed evenly-marked and crested Cinnamons, and eventually I 

 succeeded in breeding two splendid specimens, almost perfect, 

 and both out of the same nest. These were the first birds of 

 this variety I had ever seen or heard of, both hens, and pro- 

 bably as perfect as they could possibly be bred. It occurred 

 to me to use some of this blood to get more size into my 

 Cinnamon birds and to increase the head properties, and I 

 succeeded, but at a great sacrifice in colour. I remember 

 sending a bird from this cross to a show at Darlington, and 

 with it two other Cinnamons, in the same class, one a gem of 

 the first water; and to my horror and disgust this big mongrel, 

 as I considered it, was placed first prize, and the best bird 

 second. I put 3 on him as his value, and received a telegram 

 from Mr. Cleminson, of Darlington, asking the lowest price 1 

 would accept for him. I declined to accept a less sum, as I 

 wanted him to run with a hen of my best strain of Cinnamons 

 to increase the size ; he was claimed, and to this day the bird 

 is known and referred to among the old fanciers in Darlington 

 as " Telegram," that title having been given to him after the 

 event; this happened a good many years ago. I often regretted 

 afterwards that I sent him, as it appeared to awaken a desire 

 among fanciers to have a race of big Cinnamons, to the 

 detriment of the more admirable features possessed by birds 

 of the pure race. 



I consider that the Cinnamon canary is essentially a bird 

 of colour, as much or even more so than the Norwich plain- 

 head, and deprived of this special feature it loses its most 

 fascinating charm. True, the colour can be sustained to a 

 great extent by artificial feeding, but it can never be obtained 

 so pure as that produced by high breeding. 



I do not desire to be considered so conservative as to be an 

 opponent to improvements, decidedly not; but I must first be 

 convinced of the advantages that are to be gained by cross- 

 breeding. If an increase of size is to be obtained by the sacri- 

 fice of points which are far more essential, then I feel myself 

 bound to oppose the innovation. Some limit should be placed 



