316 The Canary Book. 



To breed this variety successfully it is necessary to obtain 

 Coppies of the very best type procurable, and cross them with 

 Norwich birds of the best crested strains obtainable, but it will 

 require years of judicious crossing to obtain birds as perfect a? 

 can be found at the present day and in the hands of practica 

 breeders only. Anyone desirour of experimenting on his own 

 account I would recommend to begin with crested Norwich 

 hens, and plain-headed Lancashire Coppy cocks, always being 

 careful to choose the latter birds short in tail and massive in 

 body, with well- developed craniums. The Norwich hens should 

 be evenly-marked, or green birds from an evenly-marked strain ; 

 be sure they are of good quality and type, and always procure 

 them from well-known breeders, not exhibitors, in all cases, as 

 most of these people purchase their show birds from other 

 fanciers more successful and experienced than themselves. 

 Always keep the heaviest-marked birds, the greens, and those 

 with dark caps and wing markings, to cross into the Coppy 

 blood again, as the latter variety, being bred for purity of 

 colour for so many generations, have a great influence on 

 the colour of the cross breeds, and birds with clear or 

 grizzled crests are not nearly so valuable as the dark crested 

 birds. 



I am very particular myself about having birds from an 

 evenly-marked strain to begin with. Though no one can 

 breed these birds with regularity, I endeavour as far as I 

 possibly can to retain this blood, and I get my share of 

 evenly-marked young ones. 



I choose all my hens with great substance, and large broad 

 heads, very full breasts, short legs and tails ; in fact, Nor- 

 wich in shape, and Coppies in substance, a sort of condensed 

 Coppy. When I get them as large as I can, full of Coppy 

 blood and the Norwich Fancy shape of body, I breed them 

 together, and invariably choose two marked birds, as this 

 establishes the markings, increases the green colour, and in- 

 tensifies it as well. The object is, in fact, to establish the 

 points and markings already obtained. I do this for two 

 generations and then dip into the Coppy blood again, always 



