2i8 CANARIES 



causes operated to bring about its present position, 

 but with equal truth it may be said that they have existed 

 for ages. Whatever be the cause, the fact remains that 

 the Lizard fancy has, as the Irishman said, " advanced 

 to the rear " during the last quarter of a century. It is 

 a great pity. 



The Properties of the Lizard. 



Taking the bird as it stands on its perch, the first thing 

 to catch the eye is its bald head, which is known as the 

 cap. It is needful that a good exhibition Lizard should 

 possess a good elUptic cap, which should commence at 

 the base of the beak and extend over each eye to the back 

 of the skull. Very few birds are perfect in this respect ; 

 some are much too large in cap, whilst others are too 

 small. Both are faults, yet a bird with a large cap 

 generally beats one with a small cap. The cap most to 

 be desired is that known as the thumb-nail cap. This 

 conveys a good idea of what the cap should be. If the 

 cap runs down to the lower mandible of the beak the bird 

 is said to be bald-faced. The ground colour of the body 

 right through should be a rich yellow bronze, soft and 

 subdued in appearance. From the termination of the 

 cap to the end of the back the ground colour should be 

 of one uniform shade all over the body, the spangling 

 being bold, clear and distinct. The under parts of the 

 body are lighter than the back, but they must be of one 

 uniform shade. The sides of the breast should be regularly 

 spangled. The wings and tail must be jet black ; the 

 more intense and brilliant these are the more valuably 

 the bird. " Black home to the quill " is the standard. 

 The legs, feet, and beak should be dark, the darker 

 the better. A Lizard cannot be too dark in this 

 respect. 



This disposes of colour and marking. We now come to 

 shape. The head should be rather large, wide in front, 

 and flattish on the top ; the beak short and stout ; 

 the neck short and thick ; the breast broad and full ; 

 the back wide and sUghtly curved outwardly ; the legs 

 rather short ; and wings and tail neatly made and grace- 

 fully carried, the general appearance of the bird being 



