Our  Canaries 
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all  Lizard  lovers  alike,  I  hope  I  shall  not  be  considered  presumptuous  in  express- 
ing a  hope  that  greater  encouragement  will  be  extended  those  who  are  compelled 
to  live  outside  the  cotton  manufacturing  area.  In  the  county  Palatine  the  shows 
are  usually  held  every  week-end  during  the  season,  and  those  happy  dwellers  in  the 
neighbourhood  can  take  their  birds  and  be  there  at  the  close  of  the  show,  whereas 
exhibitors  at  a  distance  may  have  to  send  their  birds  on  the  Thursday,  and 
probably  do  not  see  them  again  until  the  following  Monday.  It  is  unreasonable 
to  suppose  a  bird  will  withstand  the  strain  of  this  arduous  travelling,  or  that  a  true 
bird  lover  will  care  to  run  the  risk 
of  losing  birds  which  have  cost 
him  so  much  care  and  attention. 
Then  again,  when  we  examine 
the  provincial  schedules  we  often 
find  that  the  only  class  in  which 
a  Lizard  may  compete  is  the  'any 
other  variety  of  Canary  or  Mule,' 
and  what  does  this  multitudinous 
variety  embrace  ?  —  Belgians, 
Scotch  Fancy,  Cinnamons, 
Crests,  Foul  Greens,  Border 
Fancy,  Even-Marks,  Foul  Cin- 
namons, and  several  Hybrids, 
and  if  the  judge  has  not  had  a 
wide  experience  in  the  various 
breeds  he  will  find  it  extremely 
difficult  to  give  credit  where  credit 
is  due.  This,  I  believe,  is  the 
reason  the  Lizard  is  not  so  popu- 
lar as  in  former  years,  and  I  look 
for  the  day  when  it  will  become 
universally  popular,  and  not  re- 
stricted, as  now,  to  one  or  two 
localities." 
1.  Broken-cap.   2.  Over-capped.   3.  Under-capped. 
4.  Bald-Saced.    5.  Patch- capped. 
To  the  novice  about  to  start  in  the  Lizard  fancy  Mr.  J.  Dewsnap's  advice  is 
both  terse  and  sound,  and  the  outcome  of  much  practical  experience.  In  select- 
ing a  pair  of  stock  birds  to  attempt  to  produce  good  winning  specimens  it  does  not 
necessarily  follow  that  the  most  typical  show  specimens  will  give  the  best  results. 
^'  Go  to  a  reliable  breeder,"  says  Mr.  Dewsnap,  "  and  select  the  best  ground  colour 
it  is  possible  to  get,  as  it  is  no  use  havmg  a  good  spangled  back  with  a  bad  ground 
colour.    Get  a  clear-cap  Gold  cock  and  a  broken-cap  Silver  hen,  or  a  broken-cap 
