The Modern Crested Norwich. 325 



their very best specimens, and the result is that the Lanca- 

 shire birds have in many respects deteriorated, and some of 

 the cross-breds, passing under the name of Crested-Norwich, 

 could beat them on their merits on the show- bench in Lan- 

 cashire points alone, and in a few cases I have known this 

 done with clear crested birds. Another reason why the Lan- 

 cashire birds have lost in size and fullness of body is that 

 some of the most prominent breeders of these birds have 

 introduced the modem variety of Crested- Norwich blood (clear 

 crests, of course), to improve and enlarge the crest of this 

 variety, and it is doubtful if, in so doing, they acted wisely. 

 I think not. Neither do I think that the breeders of the 

 modern Norwich have shown sufficient discretion in dipping 

 so deeply into the blood of the Lancashire birds, foi ?* 

 must be remembered that this variety is the produce of the 

 old Dutch and Belgian birds, mixed with the blood of the 

 common old-fashioned English canary, and as the Dutch and 

 Belgian blood vastly predominates, the breed has inherited 

 all the delicacy and weakness of constitution of the varieties 

 named ; and in consequence of the unlimited admixture of 

 this blood with Norwich crests, the modern Norwich has 

 become much more delicate than birds of the old type, being 

 subject to tuberculosis, asthma, and kindred complaints. 

 Many fanciers who strive to keep in the front rank of suc- 

 cessful exhibitors have found to their cost that it is rather 

 an expensive " game " to keep up, for some birds costing 

 large sums have not lived more than two or three years when 

 exhibited regularly, and were bred from, as they speedily 

 became affected with diseases of the lungs or liver and 

 succumbed during that trying ordeal, the annual moult. 



It seems to me strange that this craze for size in body 

 and crest should lead fanciers and judges alike to ignore 

 other qualities which are most desirable in a perfect speci- 

 men, such as even marking, rich colour, silky feathers, and 

 above all robust health; all these might be attained in time 

 with judicious breeding and care ; but in order to do this, 

 some limit as to length should be agreed upon, and I think 



