BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. ITl 



to sing, and survive their mates four or five years, 

 — ^yet, from this period, they appear dull and me- 

 lancholy, and gradually droop, till they at last 

 fall a victim to this evil. 



If it is proposed to rear gay birds, the cock and 

 hen should be of the same clear deep yellow ; and, 

 if mottled birds are required, both parents must 

 be mottled : When a gay and a fancy bird are 

 matched, the offspring are termed mule-birds, 

 because they are irregularly mottled in their fea- 

 thers, and therefore of no value for plumage, 

 though they may be equally good for singing. 



A spangled, or fancy bird, ought to have the 

 crown of the head of a pure yellow, or pure white, 

 divided down the middle. A single feather of grey 

 on the crown deteriorates from perfection, while 

 on the back, wings, and tail, there must be no 

 yellow : The more he is mottled on the upper 

 pai'ts of his plumage, exclusive of the crown, the 

 more highly will the fancy bird be prized. These 

 marks hold good in the hen as well as in the cock. 

 There are two accidental varieties in fancy birds, 

 known by the name of meally, and junks : — The 

 former (or meally) those whose crown and under 

 parts are of a white or pale yellow; the junks, 

 whose crown and lower parts are of a deep yellow. 



Some bird-fanciers pair the spangled or French 



