140 CANARIES 



and well filled in. The head should be straight — in fact, 

 from the shoulders to the end of the tail, the bird should 

 be perfectly perpendicular. The chest should be prominent 

 and well formed, the waist long and tapering, the legs and 

 thighs long, straight, and well set. The wings long and 

 well carried, not crossing at the tips ; the tail long, and 

 compactly made — an open tail is a great blemish. 



Great care is needed in exhibiting Belgians ; they can- 

 not stand much knocking about. In sending them off to 

 shows the cages should be covered with flannel or baize, 

 and a supply of egg-food should at all time be sent. 



Many fanciers feed their Belgians with cod liver oil 

 and Parrish's chemical food all through the show season, 

 and it certainly is a great help to the birds. The oil is 

 given with the egg-food, and the chemical food is given 

 in the water. 



The Standard of Perfection 



The standard here given is that compiled by the United 

 Kingdom Belgian Canary Association : — 



Points 



Head. — Small and neat, slightly oval in shape . . 3 



Neck. — Long and slender, capable of extension . . 10 

 Shoulders. — High, square, broad and massive, well 



padded between the pinions . . . . . . 10 



Back. — Long, broad, straight, and well filled . . 5 



Body. — Long and tapering. . . . . . . . . 5 



Breast. — Prominent and deep through from back 



to front . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 



Wings. — Long and compact, carried close to the side, 



meeting evenly at the tips . . . . . . 5 



Tail. — Long, narrow, and straight, carried stiff and 



compact . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 



Legs. — Long and straight, thighs well clothed . . 4 



Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 



Feather. — For smoothness and condition . . . . 6 



Total Points of Merit 



60 



