Our  Canaries 
521 
IN  THE  EARLY  DAYS. 
"Before  the  club  was  formed,"  Mr.  Henry  Bennet  says,  "the  great  and  best 
gatherings  of  Common  Canaries  were  held  at  Selkirk,  Hawick,  Langholm,  and  a 
few  shows  in  and  around  Cumberland.  The  Langholm  fanciers  of  that  date  bred 
chiefly  for  even-marks  and  greens.  The  Cumberland  men  also  had  some  very 
finely  marked  birds  in  their  possession.  The  Selkirk  fanciers  were  well-nigh 
invincible  with  clears  and  fouls,  and  had  a  few  good  marks.  In  Hawick  we  had 
a  good  mixture  of  all  varieties,  and  also  in  Dumfries,  Jedburgh  and  Kelso.  The 
type  then  exhibited  was  in  many  respects  similar  to  our  present  day  Border  Fancy, 
although  when  I  started  I  had  to  go  in  for 
two  types  to  suit  different  judges,  as  there 
were  those  who  preferred  a  neat  and  dainty 
bird,  and  others  who  were  for  a  larger  bird 
with  more  colour.  Now,  however,  the  type 
favoured  by  judges  in  England  and  Scot- 
land is  very  similar,  the  only  marked 
difference  being  that  for  a  bird  to  win  in 
most  English  shows  a  somewhat  bolder 
head  and  fuller  neck  are  required  than  we 
want  in  Scotland." 
IN  SOUTH  AND  WEST. 
Concerning  its  popularity  in  the  South 
and  West  of  England  we  give  a  few  extracts 
from  a  paper  supplied  by  Dr.  T.  A.  Bowes, 
who  writes  us  :  "Although  the  Border  Fancy 
Canary  did  not  have  its  origin  in  the  south  its 
popularity  is  increasing.  It  has  spread 
south-west  into  Wales,  and  obtained  a 
strong  footing  there,  a  large  number  of 
breeders  having  fallen  victims  to  its  charms. 
A  Border  Fancy,  showing  the  technical 
markings — eyes,  wings  and  tail. 
In  and  around  London  and  in  the  South-East  of  England  it  is  establishing  a  firm 
hold  in  the  affections  of  fanciers. 
INCREASING  POPULARITY. 
"  In  the  season  1905-6  the  English  and  Welsh  Border  Fancy  Canary  Club 
extended  its  patronage  to  four  shows  in  the  district,  two  in  Wales  and  two  in 
London,  but  the  Northern  exhibitors  were  successful  in  most  instances,  while 
the  Welshmen  hardly  treated  the  exhibition  of  the  variety  in  sufficient  seriousness 
to  adequately  support  the  shows  in  Wales  providing  classes  for  it. 
"In  November,  1905,  the  Dover  Fur  and  Feather  Society  gave  a  surprise  start 
to  the  variety  in  the  South-East  by  providing  a  class  for  Borders  at  their  annual 
show.    It  was  their  first  appearance  on  the  show  bench  in  Kent  and  ten  creditable 
