4 
Cananj Breedhuf 
We certainly have not in this case the equal numbers of "mottled and yellow" 
(variegated and clear) which the Mendelian theory, as interpreted by Davenport, 
demands. 
II. Canary Hybrids. 
Davenjwrt and Canary Hybrids. With some statements concerning hybrid 
breeding, I must also express disagreement, and the use of Hartz canaries is again 
the probable explanation of our differences. These canaries are known to have a 
greater tendency to produce variegated hybrids than the general run of other 
sorts. 
In the experience of all hybrid breeders, hybrids with the " yellow " canary do 
not " frequently show more or less of the canary yellow" (page 23), the great bulk 
of them being completely dark, the lightly variegated being very rare, and the 
clear ones in Britain being scarcely more numerous than the fingers of one hand. 
The same criticism applies to the following statement on page 23 : "Consequently 
when the yellow canary is crossed with a pigmented canary, or with a finch, the 
hybrids are mottled." With regard to the relative frequency of the different light 
hybrids, the goldfinch crosses are commonest because most are bred — the gold- 
finch being a favourite cage bird. Quite as light ones may be obtained from the 
linnet, redpoll, twite (Plate III, fig. 3), greenfinch (Plate III, fig. 4), and siskin 
(Plate III, fig. 1). Since 1891 I have bred a great number of all the different 
sorts of canary hybrids. The great bulk of these have been quite dark (Plate III, 
fig. 2) : several almost clear of different kinds have appeared, but not until this 
season (1908) have I been able to say that a perfectly clear mule has fallen to 
my lot (Plate III, fig. 1). The following table gives the relative proportions of 
hybrids bred from my strain, which has been carefully built up since 1891, for' the 
purpose of producing " light mules." 
Table of Canary Hybrids bred since 1891, arranged to shoio Plumage 
Colour. 
Z> = Dark plumage, with no white or clear feathers. 
S. V. = SHghtly variegated, a few small white or clear spots in an otherwise dark plumage. 
F= Variegated, from ^ clear to large marks (eyes, wings, and tail). 
Jy- 1^^ = Lightly variegated, from even marks to small ticks of dark on a clear plumage. 
CI. = Clear, complete absence of dark feathers. 
D 
S. V. 
V 
L. r. 
CI. 
Totals 
Goldfinch (C. degans) 
172 
74 
19 
0 
340 
Siskin (C. spinus) ... 
35 
8 
4 
1 
1 
49 
'Limiet (L. cminahwa) 
61 
17 
17 
0 
0 
95 
Greenfinch (Z. chloris) 
19 
4 
4 
1 
0 
28 
Redpoll {L. rnfesccns) 
6 
7 
1 
0 
0 
14 
Totals 
293 
110 
101 
21 
1 
526 
