CHAPTER XXI. 



THE LONDON FANCY,* 



BREEDERS. These birds are rare, handsome, and costly, and 

 somewhat tender and delicate in their constitutions. They 

 are great favourites with many of the London Fanciers, but 

 owing to their want of stamina and vigour, combined with 

 the exhorbitant prices that are demanded for good specimens, 

 they are not very popular with the " fancy " at large. Indeed, 

 this breed at the present time moj be considered as being in 

 the hands of a select few. Mr. W. Brodrick, of Chudleigh ; 

 Mr. James Waller, of Londoii, zrad. Mr. Thomas Clark, of 

 Sutton, in Surrey, are probably the chief and most successful 

 breeders extant. 



ORIGIN. Although many of the admirers of this variety of 

 canary regard them as a distinct breed, I am decidedly of 

 opinion that they have originated from the Lizard canaries, 

 and I know that a great number of thoroughly practical 

 and experienced fanciers entertain the same idea as myself. 

 Having propounded a theory, it is only right that I should 

 give some reason for so doing. The title " London Fancy " 

 implies that the breed is peculiar to, or originated in London, 

 in the same manner as the "Norwich Fancy" doubtless had its 

 origin in the town of Norwich, the " Scotch Fancy " in Scotland, 



* It is said that the London Fancy canary was first cultivated by the French 

 Protestant refugee silk weavers, who came to London about two centuries aj*o, 

 and that they were bred by them exclusively in Spitaltields for many years. 

 1 made every possible inquiry in my power on this point as to their origin, from 

 Jas. Waller arid others, some thirty-two or thirty-three years ago, but I was 

 unable at that time to glean anything worthy of note respecting it. 



