30 THE CANARY BIRD. 



of Germany, they have become so multifarious, that they are 

 to be met with of almost every color and hue. Furthermore, 

 in Europe, there are societies for promoting the breeds, and 

 premiums are awarded to competitors who come nearest to the 

 model of perfection given out for competition. The hybrids 

 produced by crossing the Canary with other birds, most in 

 favor, may be described as follows : — 



1. The Cross between the Canary and Goldfinch. — The colors 

 of this variety consist of a very beautiful intermixture of those 

 of both parents. One which has been highly prized, was 

 marked in the middle of the crest with ashy-grey ; the rest of 

 the head, and the upper part of the neck, was of a silvery 

 white, with a bright orange-red ring round the base of the 

 beak, and another ring of snowy whiteness round the neck ; 

 the back was greyish-brown, striped with black ; the rump, 

 white; the under part of the body, snow-white; the vent, the 

 wings, and the first pinion feathers, were also white ; the rest, 

 as well as the coverts, black, edged with yellow, and with a 

 golden-yellow spot in the centre of the wings; the tail was 

 white, with a black lateral spot ; the beak and feet, white, the 

 former with a black tip. The mother of this fine bird was 

 white, with a greenish crest. In general, the handsomest 

 varieties are produced when yellow or white Canaries are 

 pared with goldfinches. 



2. The Cross between the Canary and the Siskin. — This is per- 

 fectly like the female Siskin, if the male bird is a green 

 Canary, but if the latter be white or yellow, it becomes 

 rather brighter and always retains the color and figure of the 

 Siskin. 



3. The Cross between the Canary and the Serin is distinguished 

 only by its smaller size, and by its short, thick, beak, from the 

 common grey or green Canary, unless produced by a white or 

 yellow hen. 



The Cross between the Canary and the Linnet. — When the 

 offspring of a grey Canary, its only difference is a slightly 

 longer tail ; but it is variegated or speckled when the Canary 

 is yellow or white. 



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