Our  Canaries 
229 
Belgian  classes,  and  until  we  get  all  the  judges  to  have  the  courage  of  their 
convictions  and  'wrong  class'  such  exhibits,  I  do  not  see  any  hope  of  increasing 
the  popularity  of  the  Belgian.  It  is,  perhaps,  asking  a  lot  from  a  judge,  but  not 
more  than  we  have  a  right  to  expect.  The  model  and  standard  of  points  adopted 
by  the  U.K.B.C.A.,  if  followed  conscientiously  by  judges,  would  soon  deter 
exhibitors  of  'first  crosses'  from  persisting  in  the  practice.  There  are  several 
young  breeders  coming  to  the  front,  epecially  around  Barnstaple,  and  it  would 
be  only  in  the  order  of  things  that  Barnstaple,  the  original  home  of  the  Belgian 
in  this  country,  should  recover  its  lost  laurels." 
THE  IDEAL  BIRD. 
To  recount  the  special  features  of  the  Belgian,  it  must  possess  in  the  first  place 
a  small  and  neat  head,  well  set  on  a  long,  thin  and  slender  neck  ;  shoulders 
prominent  and  well  elevated,  and  padded  between  the  pinions  ;  long,  broad  and 
straight  back,  and  the  body  long,  straight  and  tapering,  showing  a  clean-cut  chest 
in  front,  and  a  good  depth  through  body  from  back  to  front  of  chest ;  wings  long 
and  carried  closely  to  the  body,  meeting  evenly  at  the  tips  ;  the  tail  ending  off  in  a 
perpendicular  line  with  the  back,  long,  straight,  stiff  and  compact ;  the  legs  long 
and  straight,  and  thighs  well  covered  with  feathers.  The  plumage  smooth  and 
close-fitting  all  over.  When  in  position  the  whole  bird  should  present  a  bold  and 
commanding  appearance,  the  bird  apparently  conscious  of  admiration,  and  pulling 
itself  together  as  though  full  of  nervous  excitement  and  anxiety  to  please,  the  head' 
carried  well  below  the  line  of  its  shoulders,  and  showing  as  perfect  a  plumb-line 
as  possible  from  the  top  of  the  shoulders  to  the  tip  of  the  tail.  The  typical  pose 
of  the  perfect  Belgian  will  be  better  understood  from  our  illustrations,  which  show 
the  bird  "in  position,"  than  from  any  amount  of  text  description. 
POINTS  TO  BE  CULTIVATED. 
One  of  the  most  serious  drawbacks  to  the  pure  Belgian  is  loss  of  size,  and 
this  feature,  therefore,  demands  the  closest  attention  in  the  mating-up  of  stock. 
The  smooth,  close-fitting,  fine  quality  of  feather  which  is  always  desirable  is  to- 
day most  frequently  to  be  found  on  the  bird  which  fails  in  size  to  its  more  coarsely- 
feathered  relative.  Two  such  specimens,  though  of  good  type,  should  not  be 
mated  together  persistently.  A  comparatively  rough-feathered  specimen,  if  of  good 
Belgian  type  and  quality,  is  by  no  means  to  be  despised  as  a  mate  lor  the  small 
smooth  bird.  But  it  must  be  of  actual  good  substance  of  body  after  due  allowance 
has  been  made  for  the  appearance  of  size  which  is  apt  to  be  conveyed  by  the  coarse 
feathering.  Albeit,  the  true  Belgian  properties  must  never  be  overlooked.  Double- 
buffing  in  this  breed,  as  a  means  of  increasing  size,  is  not  to  be  largely  com- 
mended. There  is  a  tendency  in  this  method  to  increase  the  roughness  of 
feather,  and  also  bring  about  coarseness  in  head,  with  its  usual  concomitant, 
thick  necks — both  features  which  we  wish  to  most  strictly  avoid. 
