Our  Canaries 
87 
long  journey,  if  possible,  for  a  start.  Select  the  shortest  journey,  particularly 
if  they  are  first-season  birds.  Do  not  run  them  into  the  show  cages  at  the 
last  minute.  Let  them  have  at  least  two  hours  in  the  show  cage  before 
packing,  and  see  that  your  travelling  case  is  a  nice  fit  for  your  show  cages — 
neither  too  large  nor  too  small.  When  the  case  is  large  and  requires  a  lot 
of  packing  up  to  keep  the  cages  firm  the  birds  become  wild  and  dash  about, 
often  breaking  wing  and  tail  feathers,  if  nothing  worse  occurs,  and  if  too  small 
the  trouble  is  equally  as  bad.  Try  to  remember  the  show  officials  will  have 
others  to  pack  and  unpack." 
WHERE   TRAINING    MOSTLY  TELLS. 
It  is  in  the  birds  of  position,  as  the  Belgian,  Scotch  Fancy,  Yorkshire, 
and   to   a   less    extent    the    Lancashire,    Dutch    Frill    and    Border  Fancy 
(for  the  Border  Fancy  is  undoubtedly 
closely  approaching  this  class  of 
birds)  where  training  in  its  highest 
form  is  required.  Writing  of  the 
Border  Fancy  Mr.  J.  S.  Wilson,  of 
Workington,  says  : — "  Staging  a 
Border  for  exhibition  demands  some 
skill  at  the  present  day.  The  man 
who  cannot  wash  his  birds  and 
turn  them  out  '  as  clean  as  new 
pins '  every  time,  cannot  hope  to 
be  long  successful  on  the  show 
bench.  All  show  birds  require  a 
period  of  training  to  subdue  extreme 
nervousness.  They  should  be  run 
into  show  cages  and  handled  and  examined  as  in  the  process  of  judging. 
This  should  be  repeated  daily,  in  fact,  it  can  scarcely  be  overdone.  Nothing 
enables  a  good  specimen  to  show  its  points  better  than  steadiness  on  the 
perch.      Many  judges  have  no  patience  with  a  nervous,  fluttering  bird." 
BELGIAN  BREEDERS'  METHODS. 
Judging  from  the  remarks  of  a  very  successful  Belgian  breeder,  Mr.  John 
Fairley,  of  Coatbridge,  intuition  plays  a  certain  part  in  the  training  of  this 
variety.  According  to  this  authority,  the  birds  should  be  taken  in  hand  as 
soon  as  they  can  do  for  themselves.  His  method  is  to  "  run  them  into  show 
cages  and  speak  to  them  kindly  and  handle  them  gently,  till  I  get  them 
to  understand  what  I  want,  which  does  not  take  long  if  they  are  good  Belgian 
birds,  as  they  are  very  intelligent  and  quick  at  picking  up  what  is  required 
of  them.    When  within  three  weeks  of  a  show,  I  take  what  I  think  will  win 
When   the  travelling   case   is  too  large  and 
requires  a  lot  of  packing  the  birds  become  wild 
and  dash  about. 
