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Our  Canaries 
"  In  the  cinnamon-marked  we  have  the  pinnacle  of  perfection  in  the  Border 
Fancy.  The  lovely  tight-fitting  plumage,  shining  like  satin,  is  characteristic  of  the 
pink-eyed  bird.  He  is  feathered  like  a  Java.  In  breeding  cinnamon-marks  of  both 
sexes  it  is  well  to  run  on  much  the  same  lines  as  when  breeding  green-marked,  the 
difference  being  that  you  will  have  one  bird  clear  pink-eyed  and  the  other 
cinnamon-marked.  In  breeding  for  even-marked  have  one  bird  clear  and  the 
other  as  near  even-marked  as  possible.  A  few  ticks  on  body  is  not  much  objec- 
tion, but  on  no  account  use  a  cap-marked  bird  for  even-marked  breeding.  The 
clear  must  be  even-marked  bred — that  is,  bred  from  a  clear  and  even-marked. 
From  this  mating  you  will  get  clears,  ticks  and  marked  birds.  Those  having  the 
correct  markings,  viz  :— eyes,  and  wings,  and  both  sides  of  tail,  can  be  paired  to 
clears  that  have  been  bred  the  same  way  ;  the  clears  to  marks  so  bred  ;  and  the 
lighter  marks,  such  as  ticks,  fouls,  and  three-pointed  birds,  can  be  paired  to  lightly 
marked  birds.  Eye  marks  being  more  difficult  to  maintain  it  is  well  to  pay  strict 
attention  to  them,  and  should  they  run  light  pair  such  a  bird  with  a  partner  also 
marked  on  eyes.  In  breeding  cinnamon-marks  one  may  pair  together  two  marked 
birds  if  they  are  inclined  to  be  lightly  marked  without  fear  of  getting  the  marks  too 
heavy,  owing  to  the  pink-eyed  birds  having  a  greater  tendency  to  run  lighter  than 
is  the  case  with  green  marked  birds.  If  it  is  desired  to  improve  any  weak  point 
by  grafting  it  from  the  green  mark  it  should  be  done  on  the  female  side.  Get  the 
best  marked  hen  you  can  lay 
hands  on,  and  pair  up  to  a  clear 
pink-eyedcock,  seeing  they  match 
in  other  points.  From  that 
mating  you  will  get  clears,  ticks 
and  marks,  but  all  the  pink-eyed 
young  will  be  hens,  which,  when 
paired  to  pink-eyed  cocks,  will 
produce  all  pink-eyed  birds  of 
both  sexes." 
TRAINING  AND  SHOWING. 
Although  not  purely  a  bird 
of  position  the  Border  Fancy, 
especially  in  and  around  its 
native  birthplace,  is  usually  shown  in  an  open  wire  cage.  This  should 
be  as  clean  and  spick  and  span  as  the  bird  itself.  The  necessity  for  a  proper 
arrangement  of  the  perches  and  training  of  the  bird  is  specially  pointed  out  by  Mr. 
Thos.  Arnot.  "A  point  of  great  importance,"  he  writes,  "is  to  see  that  the 
perches  are  properly  placed,  not  too  thick  nor  yet  too  thin,  but  just  so  as  to  enable 
the  bird  to  grip  comfortably,  and  travel  across  them  in  a  free  and  easy  style, 
whilst  keeping  its  proper  position  and  showing  a  jaunty  appearance.    This  can  only 
Heavy  beak  and  thick  neck  are  bad  faults. 
