s68 
Our  Canaries 
length  of  feather  you  don't  usually  find  the  distinct  spangle  and  rowing  which 
should  be  the  predominating  feature." 
BREEDING  EXHIBITION  SPECIMENS. 
Mr.  J.  Hampshire,  of  Oldham,  gives  some  dissimilar  experience,  notably  in 
the  results  obtained  from  mating  two  Silvers  together,  which  system  is  equivalent  to 
double-buffing  in  other  varieties,  and,  apart  from  its  effect  upon  the  all-important 
markings  of  the  Lizard,  must  inevitably  bring  about  similar  results,  the  most  pro- 
nounced of  which  consist  of  increased  size  and  substance  of  body,  together  with  longer 
and  more  profuse  plumage.  But  as  Mr.  Hampshire  has  been  most  successful,  and 
shown  good,  large,  outstanding  specimens,  especially  in  Silvers,  for  some  seasons 
past,  his  remarks  must  naturally  carry  weight.  "  I  will  explain  my  selections,"  he 
writes,  "  in  the  way  I  bred  my  '  Silver  King.'  This  bird  took  all  before  him  in  his 
second  year  ;  had  a  good  third  moult,  and  was  sire  to  the  Champion  Silver  of  last 
season  [1909-10].  In  mating  my  stock  to  produce  a  good  exhibition  Silver  Lizard 
I  choose  the  largest  clear-cap  Gold  cock — what  I  term  a  bronze  in  ground  colour — 
with  good  dark  wings  and  tail,  one  that  has  some  large  mooning  or  spangling,  and 
good  dark  covert  feathers  on  butts  of  wings.  I  mate  him  with  a  large  broken- 
capped  Silver  hen  ;  one  that  has  got  a  good  back  full  of  spots  and  creeling  or 
spangling,  which  is  inclined  to  be  a  little  V-shaped— the  darker  these  spots  are  the 
better,  but  they  must  be  finished  off  with  a  nice  silvery  fringe,  and  rowing  as  near 
as  possible  in  parallel  lines  down  its  back  and  sides  of  breast,  etc.  In  trying  to 
produce  a  Gold  fit  for  the  show  bench,  I  mate  a  broken-cap  Silver  cock  as  large  as 
possible,  one  that  is  inclined  to  be  rather  hard  in  colour,  and  has  proved  himself 
an  exhibition  specimen.  This  I  mate  to  a  Gold  hen,  which  is  in  every  respect  a  racy 
lady,  but  be  careful  always,  if  possible,  to  mate  an  old  cock  to  a  young  hen,  as  I 
believe  that  we  gain  size  from  the  cock,  and  quality  of  feather  from  the  hen.  I  am 
not  a  believer  in  breeding  with  two  Golds,  as  I  think  it  means  losing  size,  also 
causes  the  birds  to  throw  out  too  much  creeling ;  whereas  we  want  good  big  spots 
on  a  large  and  bold-looking  specimen." 
BREEDING  WITH  TWO  SILVERS. 
"  In  reference  to  double  Silver  breeding  I  have  made  rather  more  headway  by 
it  than  by  double-Golding.  The  first  time  I  tried  it  I  gained  a  little  more  size, 
but  they  were  very  cloudy,  scarcely  any  spangling  visible,  and  had  a  few  white 
feathers  in  tail,  so  I  sold  them  for  London  Fancy  breeding.  However,  I  deter- 
mined to  try  Silvers  again,  and  was  more  successful,  for  I  got  a  clear-cap  Silver 
hen  which  was  3rd  in  an  open  class  amongst  the  cocks,  also  from  the  same  nest  a 
good  dark  Silver  cock  which  was  completely  devoid  of  cap  ;  he  got  a  card  in  same 
class.  The  first  time  this  bird  moulted  through  he  was  as  clear  a  buff  as  ever  you 
saw.    There  is  not  even  the  dark  underflue  to  be  seen.     I  have  had  two  nests  of 
