The Norwich Fancy. 291 



produce of this cross, or those only marked in the wings, to 

 breed from. When the birds get all related through this system 

 of crossing, it will be necessary to purchase, from time to time, 

 as they are required, one or two good evenly- marked birds from 

 some fancier who is reputed for breeding good birds of this 

 variety to cross with them. If two evenly-marked birds are put 

 together too often, the produce will be heavily marked ; this 

 must be regulated by resorting to clear birds bred from an 

 evenly-marked strain. The great secret in obtaining good 

 evenly-marked birds lies chiefly in the following rules : First, 

 in breeding from birds which are evenly-marked, and clear 

 birds the produce of an evenly-marked strain ; secondly, in the 

 process of consanguinity, or blood relationship ; and thirdly, in 

 avoiding all birds for breeding purposes which are irregularly 

 marked; no matter how well they may be bred, all such birds 

 must be sent to the " right about." 



It will be seen by the foregoing remarks that I have confined 

 myself to as few pairs as possible to elucidate the system of 

 breeding I advocate; but ere you can hope to be successful in 

 producing a few birds fit for competition, it will be necessary to 

 breed from several pairs of birds, a.nd if you persevere in 

 following the instructions I have given, you will find in the course 

 of three or four years that you will be able to produce the even 

 markings with wonderful precision and regularity ; but be very 

 careful about the introduction of new blood, for if you happen to 

 introduce a bird bred from irregularly marked birds, it will cause 

 you a great amount of trouble and vexation. I might have 

 advised you to put two clear birds, bred from No. 2 pair, to the 

 two evenly-marked birds known as No. 1 the second season, but 

 I have purposely avoided doing so for fear it might confuse 

 beginners. 



For breeding purposes, be sure to keep all the clear birds with 

 eye-marks ; these you can utilise where clear birds are required 

 with greater advantage. You may likewise preserve all the 

 birds with evenly-marked wings and one eye-mark, or birds with 

 two eye-marks and one wing-mark, as all birds of this descrip- 

 tion are choice stock birds : birds marked on the head, neck, 

 chest, or rather heavily in the tail, as well as all irregularly. 



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