English Misapprehensioa's of the Bird. 201 



in " Position " properties ; and the other, that mere technical "marking" should outweigh true 

 Belgian conformation and character. Mr. R. L. Wallace, for instance, says : — " It is a well- 

 established fact that the Variegated birds are much inferior in points of merit to the Clear 

 birds. This is somewhat difficult to account for, unless we could believe that the progenitors of the 

 last-named were originally all Clear Yellows and Buffs, and that the Marked variety are the result 

 of a foreign admixture, and that whenever the birds appear in the mixed plumage they inherit 

 more largely the properties of the allied blood. Be this as it may, it is a singular and undoubted 

 truth that the more heavily a Belgian bird is marked, the more deficient he is sure to be in all the 

 essential characteristics which constitute a high-class bird of this variety." We really can not 

 believe such nonsense, nor do we think Mr. Wallace would have us believe that the Belgian breeder, 

 who cares neither for colour nor marking, but worships form and posture, would cross clear 

 "Position " blood with some "foreign admixture," an unknown green something which could only 

 affect colour and variegation, about which he cares no more than if they did not exist, with the 

 certainty of losing all he does prize. The hypothesis is absurd, and reasoning from it leads to an 

 absurd conclusion. If variegation were such a certain bar to the development of form, it would 

 have been bred out long ago, with other faults, by the simple process of selection ; but the fact is 

 that it is nothing of the kind. It is, however, undoubtedly the case that the majority of the 

 Variegated Belgians exhibited in England have been inferior to the Clears in respect of " Position " 

 points ; but we have not far to look for an explanation of that fact. It consists not in native 

 inferiority, but in the demands of the English standard, which has required first marking, and theii 

 such decent approximation to Belgian form as might accompany it. In another pamphlet, by 

 Mr. Varley, of Nottingham, we find the following : — " Belgian Variegation is a class which should 

 have the underflue blue-black, the exterior feathers of the neck and body entirely clear yellow, 

 or buff, or white. The cap, the belt surrounding each eye, all the lesser and some of the adjoining 

 larger flight-feathers, also the beak, legs, feet, and nails, all black or black-green. The tail, in the 

 Yellow Variegated specimens, should be wholly or principally composed of feathers entirely black 

 or black-green. In the Buff or White variety, the tail may be all buff or white, instead of black 

 or black-green. The markings or variegation should be alike on both sides. After having taken 

 cognisance of variegation properties, birds of this class are judged for figure by the applicable 

 standard rules for Clear Belgians." It is not our province here to discuss the merits of this 

 description, but we think it explains clearly enough how it comes to pass that Variegated Belgians, 

 in England, are inferior to Clear or Ticked — a fact which has nothing whatever to do with their 

 relative values when compared unfettered by any restrictions. 



It only remains for us to arrange as briefly as possible the classification we should suggest as 

 most in unison with the character of the bird and our English tastes, without allowing either to 

 interfere with the other. 



Classification of Belgians. 



{d) Clear and Ticked Yellow Cocks. 



[b) Clear and Ticked Yellow Hens. 



(c) Clear and Ticked Buff Cocks. • 

 {d) Clear and Ticked Buff Hens. 



{e) Variegated Yellow Cocks. 

 (/) Variegated Yellow Hens. 

 kg) Variegated Buff Cocks. 

 {Ii) Variegated Buff Hens. 

 26 



