22 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



The chief cities in Belgium, where the Long Canary is seen at his best, are 

 Antwerp, Ghent, and Brussels ; and the yearly exhibitions in those cities are largely 

 attended. A few of the rules governing one of these societies are given below. 



The meeting is always fixed on some special Sunday, which is decided upon six 

 months before the exhibition occurs. 



ARTICLE I. There shall be a prize of honor given, of the value of thirty francs. 



ART. II. Each member has the right to eiiter from one to four birds. 



ART. III. Four experts shall judge the birds, but no expert shall be an owner of a bird 

 entered for competition. 



ART. IV. The four societies having the greatest number of entries shall have the right to 

 elect an expert, but no town shall elect more than two. The fifth expert shall be a stranger 

 to the town. 



ART. V. No bird shall be entered for competition that is more than one year old. 



ART. VI. All competitors must attend tbe distribution of prizes. Those absent, whose 

 birds have won prizes, will be fined to the extent of a fourth part of the value of the prize. 

 An excuse will be entertained from those absent on account of sickness. 



These exhibitions have not that spirit of avaricious gain prevailing in them 

 which is seen in other countries ; and when honor, first, is the prize to be gained, the 

 care and attention paid to the breeding of birds is much greater than when merely 

 money enters into the contest. 



The Belgian Canary is fed on the regular mixed canary-seed, but should have, ut 

 least twice each week, a mixture of grated hard-boiled egg and cracker. Great 

 care should be given the young birds : when first hatched out, they should receive 

 daily the egg-and-cracker mixture ; this should be fed to them until they are three 

 months old, as it is very strengthening : and, when a young bird starts out strong, he 

 is apt to live longer, and keep free from disease. In other respects, the Belgian 

 Canary requires only the same care that any other Canar}' receives. They are just 

 as easily kept and as hardy as any other breed when the proper rules are observed. 



Owing to the peculiar shape of the Long-breed Canary, his cage should be 

 roomy, rather high than otherwise : and, when hung in a room, he should hang at 

 least six feet from the floor ; as his shape can be seen to much better advantage. 



The pure Long-breed Canaries are imported about the first of December and 

 until April, and the three-quarter-bred Canaries are on sale during the same time. 



The half-breed are imported earlier in the season, and ma} 7 be found in the shops 

 from October until May. 



A cage, eleven inches by fourteen inches on the base, and seventeen inches high, 

 is the best size for the Long Canary. This style makes a good cage for a pair. 



A round cage, ten inches in diameter and twenty inches high, makes a desirable 

 cage for a single singer. 



ENGLISH CANARIES. 



The English Canaries include more varieties than any other known breed. They 

 embrace the Norwich, or Deep Gold, Canary, the London Fancy, the Gold and 

 Silver Lizards, the Scotch Fancy, the Yorkshire, the Manchester, or Lancashire : 

 and these different classes are subdivided by cross-breeding, whence spring many 

 lesser-known tribes. The breeding of the different classes requires a vast amount 



