Defects in Wing-Marking. 



123 



wings, provided they were neat ; on the contrary, we should be pleased, as it would indicate 

 some tendency towards fixity, and we would wait patiently for duplicate marks. We should 

 never expect to produce accurate marking in any quantity, and should be more than satisfied 

 if we simply held our ground. To do that would be virtually to advance, for one step made 

 good means protecting our rear, and security from retrogression. 



Fig. 37 represents an expanded wing, in which it will be observed that the six inner flights 

 alone are dark, the larger and smaller coverts, as well as the bastard flights attached to the thumb, 

 all being clear. This may be accepted as a perfect wing from a fancier's point of view. There 

 are one or two features in the formation of the wing worthy of note. When expanded to its full 

 extent it will be seen that the marginal outline formed by the extremities of the feathers is 

 practically a straight line : the stalk or midrib of the outer flights is close to the outer edge of the 

 feather, and the ends of these feathers are pointed ; but as we proceed towards the inner portion 

 of the wing the midrib is found nearer and nearer the centre of the web, the dark feathers are 

 fringed with a lighter margin, and the extremities alter in shape from pointed to round, becoming 



Fig- 37- 



Fig. 38. 



squarer and squarer in each succeeding feather till the tip is merely rounded off at the corners, 

 the inner flights or concluding portion of the secondary feathers, however, again becoming more 

 ovate and less substantial in their structure. When the wing is folded and at rest the marginal 

 line is entirely changed, being almost as irregular as is that of the human hand when the fingers 

 are extended and consequently at rest. Close the hand as when in the act of grasping, and the 

 tips of the fingers will be found to be as much in a straight line as is the margin of the wing when 

 in action. It is not in our present domain to examine into the cause of this peculiar construction 

 of the wing, but if the thoughtful fancier will examine for himself he will find that a Canary's wing 

 can teach wonderful lessons, and this slight digression will not have been without its value if lead 

 to a study of higher things than even fanciers' fancies. 



Fig. 38 represents a type of wing to which we made reference on page 99. We insert the cut 

 here to show the breeder in one view several defects he will be sure to produce either separately or 

 combined. There is the otherwise perfect wing, but that the larger coverts corresponding to the 

 dark flights are dark also. Note, this is not exactly a blemish, but the wing is better without 

 them, for we have just shown how apt the green is to run over, and the next step would 

 probably be a few green feathers in the margin of the saddle. There is also the mixed wing, an 

 unfortunate white feather intruding itself among the dark ones, or vice versA. Observe, also, that 

 the bastard quills are dark, and that the first row of small coverts is also dark — serious blemishes 

 which it must be sought to eliminate. 



