The London Fancy. 345 



body colour and frizzly markings after moulting ; whereas in a 

 good specimen, only the flight feathers of the wings and tail 

 should have remained black or dark in colour. In con- 

 sequence of the rarity and high price of these birds, and the 

 difficulties experienced in breeding specimens fit for show, 

 and the trouble required to keep them in show feather, 

 I have never felt much interest personally in them, con- 

 sequently I have not experimented with them as I usually 

 do to prove my theories. 



More than thirty years ago, I used to pay visits, at in- 

 tervals, to Mr. J. Waller, a fancier and breeder of these 

 birds, who, at that time, resided at Tabernacle Walk, Finsbury 

 Square, London; but it was very rare even for him to breed 

 anything approaching to a high-class specimen, although he 

 put up from ten to fifteen pairs annually. Another reason 

 why I felt no partiality for the London Fancy canary was, 

 that they were so small and puny, so sickly and delicate 

 looking, owing to their being so sib-bred as the breed then 

 was limited to a few fanciers all the birds being as 

 nearly related as possible, and no new blood obtainable. 

 They were loose in feather, asthmatical, and short lived, 

 a breed with many faults and few redeeming features. I 

 regret now that I did not try some experiments to resuscitate 

 this breed, for I feel sure it could have been done in a few 

 years, and probably some of the prevailing faults might 

 have been overcome, and the variety much improved in most 

 respects. 



NEST FEATHER BIRDS. London Fancy canaries in their first 

 or nest feathers should resemble very closely the young of the 

 Lizard canaries ; they should appear dark all over, except their 

 caps, which should be clear, but very few of them reach this 

 criterion of excellence, many of them appearing irregularly 

 marked or pied, but in any case the tail and the larger or flying 

 feathers of the wings ought to be all black. When these birds 

 moult the first time they shed all their feathers except those 

 of the wings and tail, the process of moulting being observed 

 first on each side of the breast. The new coat comes clear 



