THE LIZARD 219 



smartness and gracefulness. In length the Lizard should 

 be from 5 to 5^ inches. 



Some of the Difficulties in Breeding. 



It is far more easy to say what the ideal Lizard should 

 be than it is to produce it. Amongst the disappointments 

 that challenge the courage and enthusiasm of the breeder 

 are such things as bald faces. That is when the cap 

 runs down below the eyes or cuts the base of the beak, 

 hght colour in the waist and breast, grizzled in wing or 

 tail, A bird with any of these faults is useless for com- 

 petition, and it is not of much use in the breeding- 

 room. As a counsel of perfection I would advise that 

 birds with such faults should be sold as songsters. They 

 can be bred with it is true, and many do breed with them, 

 but whilst such breeding is followed there is always a 

 great tendency for these faults to be reproduced. 



Selecting Breeding Stock. 



In selecting birds for breeding two things should be 

 kept well to the front — one is size, the other spangling. 

 Narrow-bodied birds can never show their spanghng 

 properly, however good it may be, whilst a bird that has 

 indistinct spanghng may be said to be no Lizard at all. 

 Therefore see that you have good wide backs on your 

 birds, and those backs well covered with even rows of 

 bold, distinct, clear-cut spangles. Let the ground colour 

 be rich and sound, the wings and tail as black as possible. 

 Never use a bird that is grey in flights or tail, but, if other- 

 wise good, one that has one distinct white feather or part 

 of a feather white may be used, but the white must be 

 white, not grey or grizzled. 



In mating gold and silver is the orthodox method, 

 although occasionally some of our best breeders mate 

 two silvers. This is done when the colour is hard and 

 lacks bloom. The mating of two silvers gives increased 

 size, and also more of that beautiful luminosity which 

 is so admired in the sheen of a silver Lizard. Double 

 mating of golds is not advisable It reduces size of body 



