132 Canaries and Cage-Birds. 



have described is one in which our lady-fanciers would take an especial interest. There is a beauty 

 in the unsullied loveliness of the Clear bird that renders it at all times a favourite with the softer 

 sex, and we commend this bird to their special care. To breed such would be comparatively easy, 

 for nothing would be required but Clear birds on both sides, sufiScient brilliancy of colour being 

 maintained by a careful infusion of the best Clear non-crested blood. 



Reverting now to the thread of our subject, we remark that any amount of variegation can be 

 introduced into Crested stock by pairing a Clear and a Variegated bird together. Perhaps we shall 

 make this plainer if we put our proposition in the form of a question we have frequently been 

 asked : " How can we breed Dark Crests .' " We reply that if one of the parents be Variegated there 

 will be a full average of Dark Crests in every nest, on which fact we base our final general rule, that 

 if our Coppy be a Buff cock, he must be paired with Variegated, or, as they are known in the Fancy, 

 broken Green hens ; if he be a Yellow cock, the hens must be similar in character, but Buff; and if 

 we elect to breed with a Coppy hen, our cock must be a Variegated Yellow or Buff, as the case may 

 demand. There need be no apprehension as to the chances of procuring Dark Crests, for every 

 bird, if it be in the slightest degree marked and have a crest, will have a dark crest, than which 

 there is nothing easier to breed. We say every bird, because practically it is so ; and we do not 

 remember having seen but two which, having dark wings or variegation of any kind, had other than 

 a dark crest : the two in question were what is called Grey Crested. This result may be accepted 

 as invariable. It only remains to do our best to develop from the variegation, generally, such forms 

 of marking as we have described under that head. 



The first cross from the Coppy will present, as regards shape and general conformation, a 

 strong resemblance to the Lancashire bird, with considerable improvement in feather, though 

 these will be birds in which, notwithstanding they may bear something of the Norwich impress, 

 coarse feather will be exhibited to a great degree. Although this extreme roughness is in itself 

 most undesirable, yet it has its value, because where it exists there is frequently a corresponding 

 growth of crest and a marked enlargement of the individual feathers of which it is composed — a 

 most valuable property, and one which every endeavour should be made to maintain. We might 

 indicate many forms which will probably be found in the first nests, but they may be summed 

 up in two — refined Coppies and coarse nondescript Norwich, Crests and Plainheads of both 

 varieties. Occasionally there will be a direct " hit " in the shape of a mammoth edition of a 

 Crested Norwich : several such have appeared of late years and travelled the show circuits in a 

 series of triumphs. The appearance of a bird of this character on the stage, one in which, possibly, 

 very great merit is found in many leading features, has rather a tendency to demoralise the taste 

 for more refined specimens. Such birds are very difficult to pass in a show in a class in which the 

 Coppy element crops up in man}' forms and in a greater or less degree. With commanding size, 

 not more of the tell-tale Coppy contour than is shown in a somewhat erect attitude, with average 

 display of feather properties, and, above all, a large, well-formed crest, he becomes a formidable 

 competitor by the side of a more genuine example of Norwich blood, although every breeder 

 of the variety knows that he is not an improved Norwich, if we may use the term "improved" 

 to mean carefully reared on a Norwich substratum, so much as a chance offshoot from the imported 

 Coppy. The most noted of these birds have, however, appeared in the irregularly Variegated 

 section, in which stock birds and those in an intermediate state of development are usually shown, 

 and have been tolerated on account of their evibaj'ras de richcsse, rather than accepted as types of 

 the finished specimen. 



It will be observed that we make no mention of any other features but such as may be 

 supposed to be included in the general idea of form and feather when we separate the produce of 



