The Modern Crested Norwich. 317 



choosing those birds which show the best blending of the two 

 varieties and the nearest to the Norwich birds in contour and 

 colour. 



It is astonishing to observe how these crosses sport at 

 times, some taking after the Coppies, and others entirely 

 after the Norwich varieties, whilst others show a happy 

 blending of both. The latter are the birds which should be 

 selected for further experiments. Eschew long tails, and 

 long thin bodies ; all birds resembling the Yorkshire Fancy 

 in shape should be discarded. 



I have sometimes bred three distinct types of birds from 



the same parents, and no one could have believed, excepting 



only those who know by experience, that these birds were 



.related, much less brothers and sisters, and reared in the 



same nest. 



I have had specimens that were more than half-bred 

 Coppies, that no one could have distinguished from the pure 

 Norwich breed, and others which would have passed for 

 Coppies if they had been clear in colour, whilst the third 

 would show the admixture of the two varieties thoroughly 

 blended, and these are the birds that are most valuable. 



Some birds show it in only two ways, size of body and 

 form of crest the true Norwich shape, and this is what 

 breeders aim at. A true Norwich crest is broader at the 

 back than it is at the front, and the best specimens are 

 finished off at the back of the neck with a curtain or hood 

 like a monk's cowl. Coppies never have this appendage, and 

 most of the Coppy crosses are also destitute of this ornament, 

 and have a round or elliptic crest which appears clean cut 

 all round, and which is strongly indicative of Coppy blood. 

 It is no uncommon occurrence for two birds from the same 

 nest to be exhibited in the same class, the one to receive 

 high honours and the other to be disqualified for showing 

 " too much Coppy." Several instances of this kind are within 

 my own personal knowledge, and I consider it the strongest 

 argument that can be brought forward to show that the 

 present designation of these birds is a misnomer. 



