8o Caxaj^tes a.vd Cage-Birds. 



indeed, no philosophical reason has yet been assigned, though no doubt it will ultimately be 

 shown to result from the deposition of colouring matter in the cellular tissue through the 

 action of the blood. It is perfectly immaterial whether it be brought about in this way, or 

 whether it be due to the development of colour native to the bird, though latent, by calling 

 into vigorous exercise existing functions. So long as the agent employed is no more than the 

 active principle of a natural diet, the process is strictly natural from beginning to end, and is not 

 to be condemned as unnatural simply because it is the development of a phenomenon which 

 has been hidden from our view by force of circumstances for centuries. 



We said that the use of something to produce colour became a common practice with all 

 breeders, and among the many somethings were included marigold flowers, strong solution of 

 saffron, cochineal, port wine, beetroot, mustard-seed, and other comestibles, the principle feature of 

 which, it is evident, was the possession of colour. But the entire exhibition world was destined to 

 be revolutionised by one important discovery which was made in 1871. In the search after the 

 philosopher's stone an explorer "struck ile." We have read how some of the Australian settlers 

 stared at each other in speechless amazement when, after washing their first pan, they found the 

 little shining lumps of gold in the bottom ; and though, to any one not in the great Fancy, it 

 may seem absurd to draw any comparison between the two events, we don't know which of the 

 discoverers felt the greater delight, for each had found gold. To whom belongs the honour of the 

 discovery we refer to we are not in a position to say, no one, to our knowledge, having set up his 

 claim; but the fact came out in this way. Towards the close of the moulting season of 1871, 

 rumours were rife in the Midland districts that in the neighbourhood of Sutton-in-Ashfield some 

 extraordinary birds had been bred — for candour obliges us to state that for a long time the superior 

 quality of these birds was asserted to belong to the breed or strain which it was alleged the dis- 

 coverer of the grand secret had in his possession. Had it been openly stated that a new " feed " 

 had been discovered, it is very probable that that fact would have been accepted more willingly 

 than the assertion that the breeder had hit on a superior combination of blood, which story was 

 altogether discredited, and the new birds were received with the gravest suspicion on some hands, 

 and avowed unbelief as to their genuineness on the part of others. Some of the best breeders of 

 the day examined them ; and though all known tests failed to show that the colour was due to any 

 outward application, yet one mysterious fact stared them in the face — the birds were two colours ! 

 An explanation of the fact that the colour was owing to the feed, and not to the strain, would still 

 have cleared up this difficulty, which is now understood and will be explained presently ; but 

 this valuable strain (.') would then have lost its market value ; and as the colour section had 

 always ruled in the market according to the depth and purity of the colour of its representatives, 

 and such colour had always commanded its price as representing breed or strain, a fiction of 

 which the many outside the feeding circle we have before mentioned had been the victims for 

 years, we can scarcely be surprised at the discoverer of a new feed endeavouring to make his 

 market in the same way. This may all seem very naughty, and convey the idea of a lax sort of 

 morality, but it is nevertheless true. We ourselves, and a large circle of friends, had been breedinfr 

 colour-birds for years, and this was at a time, bear in mind, when Canary shows were not reported, 

 and when the Canary had no literature of its own, and we had never heard of feeding as influencing 

 colour. We well remember the knock-down blow we received when a fancier in a high position, 

 whose status in life and official position — for he was a magistrate — forbade the idea of anything but 

 the exercise of any but the most honourable conduct, telling us to give up trying to breed colour- 

 birds, as the secret lay in the feeding and not in the breeding. In the present existing state of 

 things, when the doings in the Canary world are chronicled weekly with as much accuracy as the 



