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CHAPTER XXIII. 



CANARY SOCIETIES IN BELGIUM. 



We propose now to give some account of the Belgian Canary "at home;" and the following 

 details respecting Continental societies are supplied by our " Special Foreign Correspondent," 

 whom we have before quoted, and who says on this subject: — "The present Society of Antwerp 

 (of which I have just had the honour of being elected a member) was established in 1847, and 

 remains unchanged with the exception of having moved its place of meeting two or three times. 

 The accompanying rules, which I have translated freely, will explain its object." 



Rules of the Society of Canaries, known as Posture Birds 

 Established in full form at Antwerp in 1847, under the name "Den Arend'" {The Eagle). 

 Article i. — Tlie society is to take the name of " Den Arend," to have for its object the breeding of Posture Rirds, following 

 the model adopted by us, and to improve the " Liefhebberij " (Lief hebber : lover, amateur ; from lief, love, care, wiA hehben, 

 to have). 



Article 2 relates to election of officers and sundry details of internal management not of 

 much interest. We shall only give those rules bearing directly on the subject in hand. 



Article 3. — The competition will take place each year on a Sunday in the month of Januaiy, to be decided upon by the 

 Committee of Management after careful consideration. Birds eligible to take part in the coni| etition must be young birds 

 hatched the preceding summer. Old birds are distinctly forbidden to enter in the contest. Transgressors breaking this rule shall 

 lose all rights sliould it be discovered, and in case such should be a winner, the prize shall be gi\en to the bird next following 

 without the transgressor having a right to make any remark respecting it. 



Article 4. — Any member taking part in the competition shall take good notice that he is obliged to compete with birds, 

 hatched by him in his own I'oom, and his own property. In case it should be detected that any bird has been borrowed or 

 bought and has won a prize, the successful bird shall be sold in public and the proceeds of the sale given to the society. Also, the 

 member shall be dismissed from the society without being allowed to become again a member until after an interval of three 

 years. 



Article 5 relates to the distribution of prizes, and enacts that each member shall be 

 present on that occasion and other meetings or pay a fine of one franc ; and the rule following 

 deals with subscriptions and fines. 



Article 7. — Every year each member shall have the right to bring four birds to the contest, and to compete in ea(;h class. On 

 entrance two francs per bird must be paid. The birds must remain three days in the care of the e.\aminers, and tlieir decisions 

 respecting the examination shall remain irrevocable. 



Article 8. — Every year there shall be sixteen silver prizes given, divided into four sections for the birds, as follows : — i. Yellow 

 Cocks ; 2. Yellow Hens ; 3. Buff Cocks ; 4. Buff Hens — in equal divisions as regards money value, and according to the funds. 

 The prizes shall be proportionately divided in each section, commencing at the 1st to the 4th prize. 



A .tide 9. — In case a member unknowingly enters in the contest as a hen a bird which during the time of competition is found 

 to be a cock, he must resign all claim to any prize he has won witliout demur. 



The next two Articles refer to the conduct of meetings, at which a due decorum befitting 

 such an assembly must be observed, any member addressing the meeting without having first 

 obtained the consent of the chairman being fined from one to ten francs, the penalty to be 

 "enforced immediately" — a salutary regulation for the government of all-speak-at-once bodies. 



Article 12.— It is forbidden to clip, cut, or in any manner to unnaturally mark the birds. Should any member do so the fme 

 in Article li will be enforced. 



Aiticle 13. — Each member shall have the right to bring birds to the sale should a sale be held, but is strictly forbidden to 

 depreciate tlie birds of any other member under a penalty of from one to ten franca. 



