Character of the Lizard. 155 



Because, A Spangled Cock, with a Mealy Hen, will 

 Produce a more Regular Spangled Feather, than 

 if Cock, and Hen were Both Spangled. For Then, 

 They would Breed too High upon the Yellow. 

 Because, The Young Ones, Take mostly after the 

 Cock Bird in their Feathers, rather than the Hen. " 



It is quite possible that the term " spangled," as here used, may have a wider and more general 

 significance than when used in the restricted form in which we apply it ; but it is evident that 

 spangling of some sort is referred to, even if the meaning be as obscure as that of "ashen-grey" and 

 other forms of colour mentioned by old chroniclers which we do not recognise in any Canary of our day. 



The description of feather-marking to which we have referred as being in all probability 

 rudimentary spangling, and common to most dark Selfs, we may describe as consisting of nothing 

 more than a darkening of the web on each side of the mid-rib, edged by a lighter margin, in some 

 instances more decided than in others, but in all cases essentially the same in character. We have 

 seen some horse-shoe saddles on Norwich birds in which we know there was no admixture of Lizard 

 blood, elaborately worked with rudimentary spangling resulting from the presence of feather of this 

 kind; and in the Scotch Fancy, which, of all the varieties in existence, must surely be entirely free 

 from Lizard taint, there is often the same appearance — the ground-colour, the dark centre and the 

 lighter edge ; and we are not surprised that the presence of similar feather should have set some of 

 the thinking fanciers of the olden time pondering how, on such a foundation, they could rear the 

 structure we are about to describe — a structure so complete and so elaborately finished in every part, 

 as to have become one of the highest, if not the very highest, triumph of the breeder's skill. 



This Canary has been named, we think, from the striking resemblance its glittering plumage 

 bears to the back of its scaly prototype, the comparison being not at all inapt, especially in the 

 case of some of the old-fashioned sort. In size it is rather smaller than the average run of 

 Norwich birds ; the Jonques, and more especially the hens, being cast in a decidedly smaller mould. 

 We attribute this, to a great extent, to the fact that there is no cross that can be used for the sake 

 of obtaining size, absolute purity of breed being imperative ; and hence there is no wandering away 

 into any by-path in this direction. In shape and general conformation it is precisely similar to the two 

 varieties we have described in our previous chapters, belonging to the chubby school, and in no way 

 claiming to have any connection with Shape or Position birds. Its colour, also, in so far as regards 

 the clearly-defined line between Jonque and Mealy, is as decided as is that of any example of the 

 Colour section, the Jonque form being known as Golden Spangled, and the Mealy or Buff as Silver 

 Spangled, these two names being most appropriate. But here we may at once remark that the 

 Jonque or Golden bird is not really of a yellow or gold colour, but is rather, as regards what is 

 called its body-colour, a rich, dark, bronzy yellow, very difficult to paint in words so as to be 

 recognised, unless we have a familiar acquaintance with the warm tones of some of the rich umbers 

 of the artist's colour-box. The richer, warmer, and purer the tone of this body-colour, the more 

 valuable it is, and in it there should be no admixture of a greenish tinge, unless the bird be 

 throughout of a positive green cast, as is the case with a school of Lizards common in Lancashire; 

 in which case the purer the green, and the more brilliant and glittering, the better for the character 

 of the bird. This last class of Lizard is not so popular a favourite as the former, but it has its 

 followers, and represents a distinct strain, opposed to any idea of an intermediate form which is 

 neither one thing nor another, and is not tolerated. Personally we are very fond of this description 

 of bird ; we admire them exceedingly, and have seen among them birds which, when innocent of 

 any adventitious aids to strong colour-development, have seemed to us to be the type which 

 may have suggested the characteristic family name. 



