28 



CANARY BIRDS. 



judge them to be a cross-breed between tall Parisians and 

 " Hartz "-birds. 



3. The Brussels Birds. — These are more slender and 

 more slightly built than the Dutch ; their backs are ex- 

 ceedingly curved, and they have small and graceful heads ; 

 the plumage is smoother, the ruff is but slightly indicated, 

 and here, too, the "epaulets " are wanting ; the smaller and 

 more delicate the bird, the more its back is curved (such 

 are called " cats-backs " by fanciers), the more valuable it is. 

 Among these three Dutch varieties, the " nesting" of those 

 called Parisians is least to be relied upon, for they rarely 

 succeed in bringing up more than a fourth part of their 

 young ; whilst the Brussels-birds are usually fortunate 

 enough to raise about one-half, and the Dutch about three- 

 fourths of their offspring, at least so it is asserted by most 

 breeders of these birds. In breeding them, careful 

 attention should be bestowed on the preservation of a 

 pure breed, and upon procuring, from time to time, 

 fresh male or female birds, in order to invigorate the 

 breed, as, otherwise, the birds are apt to degenerate. 



The Belgian Canary (Serin Beige, Postuur-Yogels, 

 Groote Gentsche Vogels), is of a very ancient breed. For 

 about a century there have existed in Ghent, Bruges, Brus- 

 sels, Antwerp, and in other towns, associations which offer, 

 annually, more or less considerable prizes at the various 

 exhibitions. A good bird of this breed must be very long, 

 his legs must be high, the head small, the neck long, the 

 shoulders high, the neck and shoulders must form a hori- 

 zontal line so as to impart to the bird a vulture-like air. 

 On the other hand, the shoulders, the back, and the tail 

 must be in a vertical line, so that the tail rests upon the 

 pole upon which the bird stands, and yet it must not press 

 upon the pole ; a curved back is faulty ; the chest must be 

 strong, and from the latter down to the point of the tail, 



