184 Caxjkies axd Cage-B/rds. 



coloured," or, as the latter are sometimes called, " fine-feathered " birds. The " strong " are those 

 in which there is much grizzled feather and dark flue, and the "fine" or "soft" birds those in 

 which the ticks are pale and indistinct, consisting for the most part of little more than a dark or 

 grey stalk with only an occasional grey tinge on the web. A " soft " bird will also show less dark 

 flue on being blown, and an additional " soft " feature is a white leg. These distinctions, of course, 

 are supposed to be referable to the bird on its first moult only, though the absolute "strength" 

 of any strain is further gauged by the tenacity with which the ticks cling to the feather in 

 subsequent moults. The pairing of Jonque and Mealy, with all its relations to a balance of 

 colour and feather properties, obtains here as with any other variety, while the pairing of two 

 " strong " or two " fine " birds, or " strong " with " fine," properties belonging to Jonque and Mealy 

 alike, is based on precisely the same principles as regulate the pairing of analogous forms in the 

 Norwich. Breeding from two "strong" birds will, as a general rule, result in increased colour, at 

 the probable expense of increase in ticks and kindred features ; while mating two " soft " birds will 

 produce contrary effects, remembering that these general results may be materially modified by 

 the action of latent tendencies. It would be perfectly needless to wade through all the details of 

 a system of pairing which has its exact parallel in the method to be adopted in developing a 

 Clear Norwich, already fully explained. A few hints should suffice to show the bearings of the 

 principal landmarks, what channels to pursue and what to avoid. The natural laws governing the 

 whole are identical, whether it be required to develop a light body or a dark, to remove spangle or 

 to perfect it, the difficulty in every case being the intrusion of other features not wanted. The 

 plan the London Fancy breeder has to follow is obviously the mating of "strong" with "fine" 

 feather, which, without considering other features, is essentially pairing for colour. Then follows the 

 selection of pairs showing the highest development of what is wanted and the least tendency to 

 what is not wanted, most carefully and scrupulously excluding positive defect. The fountain from 

 whence proceeds colour has to be fed with care, and never, except it be from dire necessity, from an 

 alien source. A breeder, under favourable circumstances, has usually at command in his own cages 

 a supply of " bottled up " material of which he knows the exact strength, or, more plainly, whether 

 it be progressive or retrogressive in its character. Here are one or two ticked cocks : they scarcely 

 look like the sort of stuff one would like to pair with a ckar-bodied hen ; they might " put back " 

 the work a little. Not they ; the direction of that strain has ever been upward. Here is 

 another — a very " strong " bird, apparently a dangerous one. Not at all ; it is perfectly safe and a 

 little gold-mine, being an exceptionally strong bird from a well-established clear strain, and may 

 be relied on to do more good than harm. When this is the case, the breeder knows where to 

 look for colour or any other standard property ; but when, from misadventure of any kind, 

 he imist make a dip into another strain, he should be most careful to ascertain that the imported 

 " fresh blood " has been bred for the purpose required, or he may find that the effect of the alien 

 cross will cover a wider field than he anticipated, and afford him work for years to come in pulling 

 up weeds, the growth of unsuspected seeds long buried, but now brought to the surface. 



The points of resemblance between this bird and the Lizard have suggested to some fanciers 

 the possibility of good results following a cross between the two. Brent says : — " I would suggest 

 that, as Lizard and London Fancy are so similar, each might be made useful to improve the other 

 if a very slight cross were introduced. I think that a little of the London Fancy blood thrown 

 into the Lizard would soften its colour and improve its spangling ; while a slight dash of the 

 Lizard in the London Fancy birds would strengthen their constitution, bring out the black ticks on 

 back, which seem nearly to have departed, and strengthen the colour generally, so that we should 

 hear fewer complaints of patching or foul-feathered young ones," For the very reasons here 



