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Our  Canaries 
specimens  faced  the  judge.  In  1906-7,  with  five  Shows  under  the  patronage  of 
the  E.  &  W.B.F.C.C.  (three  in  London),  a  greater  response  was  made  from  Wales. 
In  igog-io  competition  was  increasingly  keen,  and  two  good  gatherings  were  seen 
at  the  L.C.B.A.  and  the  Palace  ;  at  the  former  about  80  in  number  including  a  very- 
good  unevenly  marked  class  and  a  good  green  class  ;  and  at  the  Palace  161  in  eight 
classes  were  a  remarkable  collection.  Magnificent  were  the  classes  of  yellow 
cocks,  yellow  hens  and  unevenly  marked  birds,  numbering  respectively  28,  21  and 
30.  It  cannot  be  said  that  fanciers  in  the  South  and  West  have  been  unsuccessful ; 
rather  the  reverse,  and  their  success  in  recent  years  augurs  well  for  the  future." 
THE  IDEAL  BIRD. 
The  general  all-round  qualities  and  hardihood  of  the  "  wee  gem  of  the  Fancy," 
as  the  Border  is  often  termed,  accounts  for  its  rapid  rise  to  the  position  of  an 
almost  universal  favourite.  In  size  it  must  not  exceed  5|ins.  in  total  length,  being 
therefore  distinctly  on  the  small  side.  Its  hardihood  and  ease  of  management 
are  beyond  question.  Its  plumage  is  exceptionally  fine  and  silky,  and  carries  a 
beautiful  natural  bloom.  Its  colour  should  be  perfectly  natural  and  not  enriched 
by  colour  food ;  its  general  appearance  and  carriage  are  those  of  an  exceptionally 
smart,  graceful  and  agile  bird,  with  the  least  touch  of  that  "nerve"  or  action 
which  characterises  such  "  birds  of  position  "  as  the  Belgian  ;  and  its  range  of 
colours  and  markings  is  of  the  most  extensive  description,  and  includes  both  green 
and  cinnamon  types.  It  should  stand  in  a  semi-erect  position,  and  its  whole 
make-up  be  that  of  a  trim-built,  neat  bird,  as  closely  feathered  as  if  moulded  in 
wax,  with  no  suspicion  of  looseness  or  superfluous  feathers  anywhere,  nor  an  atom 
of  surplus  muscle  or  tissue.  Being  also  quite  an  accomplished  singer,  coming  in 
this  respect  nearer  to  the  pure  Roller  than  any  other  purely  fancy  breed,  the 
cocks  that  are  wastrels  from  the  exhibitor's  point  of  view  find  a  ready  market  as 
singing  birds.  Colour  feeding  is  strictly  forbidden,  the  general  concensus  of 
opinion  being  against  it,  a  plebiscite  of  the  total  membership  of  the  B.F.C. 
showing  only  21  votes  in  favour  of  it  against  iii  against.  Therefore  birds  show- 
ing signs  of  colour  feeding  are  barred  from  competition  on  the  show  bench. 
POINTS  FOR  BREEDERS. 
The  chief  faults  to  guard  against  in  stock  birds  are  tersely  detailed  incidentally 
by  Mr.  J.  Patterson,  of  Chirnside,  in  these  words: — "Large  heavy  beak;  large 
flat  head ;  thick  neck  ;  frayed  long  flights;  flights  not  meeting  down  the  back; 
tail  carried  low  or  too  high  ;  fish-tailed  ;  too  thin  in  front,  or  vice  versa  ;  frilling  in  front 
or  at  thighs,  or  base  of  tail ;  long  in  legs  ;  too  high  in  thighs,  or  wide  between ; 
feet  large  and  coarse  ;  too  large  in  body  and  side  ;  too  flat  across  perch ;  washed- 
out  or  uneven  in  colour  ;  long  and  loose  in  feathers.  All  these  faults  should  be 
avoided  when  mating  up  stock ;  never  pairing  two  birds  together  when  the  fault  is 
similar.    Have  every  weak  point  strengthened  in  the  mate,  being  guided  by  the 
