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he had sent up a team which appeared to himself perfection, only to 

 receive the verdict that there was among- them a dangerous tendency 

 to "japp," which the birds had picked up somehow, possibly from a 

 caged nightingale. This bird's song, when heard amid sylvan 

 surroundings upon a balmy May evening, is admittedly delightful, 

 and it is among the highest endeavours of the Grerman fanciers to 

 incorporate the best of Philomela's notes into the repertoire of 

 their trained charges. At the same time some few of this songsters 

 seductive strains are not admissible in the song of a perfectly 

 trained Canary, who has to entertain his owner under very different 

 circumstances, and the pupil who inadvertently acquires such notes 

 is no longer admitted among the aristocracy of his kindred. An 

 exhibitor may be absolutely unaware that his birds have a disposition 

 to "japp," as it is termed ; but a judge who has himself realized 

 in past times the unpleasant experience knows quite well that in 

 such a case a few days of relaxed control will inevitably develop the 

 evil, and his capabilities as a judge would be seriously impeached if 

 he placed such birds among the prize winners, and a few days later it 

 were found that they had actually taken to "japping " in good earnest. 

 A disappointment of this nature is a salutary lesson to the trainer 

 that he must not allow his team to acquire notes which, the moment 

 the birds are left to their own sweet will, say by giving them too much 

 light or by other excitement, would degenerate into serions defects. 



Untoward results of this kind are very frequent at song com- 

 petitions, and mean that the breeder must begin all over again. Fresh 

 stock birds, of both sexes, must be procured, and all of the old strain 

 got rid of. His misfortune, however, is the opportunity to the 

 amateurs of other nations of procuring what is generally believed to 

 be the very best German blood, while in truth they are only the best 

 of those sent out of the country. 



When a breeder has encountered and overcome such obstacles as 

 these, and others which will have arisen during a long period of 

 personal experience, he approaches qualification for the judicial 

 post. If he elects to follow the honourable profession of judge, it will 

 be desirable for him to give up his old love at once, so that all 

 doubts as to his impartiality and integrity may be dispelled from the 

 public mind. Li ve for the work, industry, leisure, and willingness 



