344 
Our  Canaries 
Clear  birds  are  more  generally  described  as  "  clean,"  whilst  the  terms  "  foul  "  and 
"  pied  "  or  "piebald,"  are  commonly  used  as  synonyms  of  the  English  terms 
ticked  and  variegated.  The  usual  method  is  to  mate  yellows  with  buffs,  and  clear 
birds  with  green,  foul,  or  pied  specimens  as  the  case  may  be,  after  due  weight 
has  been  given  to  consideration  of  other  points  concerning  size  and  general  type. 
Double-buffing  is  resorted  to  to  increase  size  and  substance,  but  must  be  done  with 
discretion  lest  coarse  plumage  and  a  frilled  chest  spoil  the  quality  and  contour  of 
an  otherwise  good  bird.  The  mating  of  the  progeny  of  double-buffs  back  to 
yellows  is  frequently  followed  by  the  happiest 
results,  and  a  good  proportion  of  yellows  are 
again  bred  of  an  excellent  type.  The  leading 
characteristics  of  the  buffs  are  size,  substance, 
and  good  prominent  shoulders,  whereas  the 
yellows  are  generall)''  of  a  lighter  build  and 
excel  in  fineness  of  feather,  but  are  more  liable 
to  run  thin  through  the  chest. 
Writing  upon  the  subject  of  improving 
shoulder,  drive,  and  action,  Mr.  David  Black, 
of  Govan,  says  :  "  I  will  give  you  an  example 
of  the  difficulty  of  introducing  the  Belgian  into 
your  stock.  To  put  a  square,  as  represented 
by  the  Belgian,  into  a  circle,  as  typified  by  the 
Scotch  Fancy,  and  yet  retain  the  essentials  of 
the  circle  is  a  thing  that  must  be  handled  very 
warily.  Our  desire  is  to  keep  a  clean  cut-out 
front,  and  introducing  the  Belgian  will  straighten 
the  front,  and  also  give  the  body  a  leaning 
....  ..^  Beware  of  thin-chested,  thick-necked 
position,  which  is  a  very  bad  fault.    Care  must        ^irds,  with  stiff  back  and  tail. 
also  be  taken  about  the  position  of  the  head. 
A  Scotch  Fancy  must  have  the  beak  pointing  direct  outwards,  whereas  a 
Belgian  has  a  drooping,  inward  curve  on  the  head.  Also  the  legs  of  the 
Belgian  are  set  straight  up  on  perch,  whilst  the  Scotch  Fancy  must  have  them 
set  well  back,  and  able  to  take  a  good  grip  round  the  perch. 
"  So  much  of  the  bad  points  of  setting  the  square  into  the  circle.  Its 
advantages  are  that  it  will  give  you  at  once  a  good  top,  and  the  leaning  body,  if 
properly  mated,  will  give  you  a  long  body,  or  '  good  rib,'  as  we  call  it.  To  keep  a 
good  back  when  you  have  got  it  you  must  keep  in  touch  with  people  who  are 
breeding  another  direct  line  of  good  birds,  and  co-operate  and  exchange  when 
wanting  an  introduction  of  fresh  blood.  Do  not  mate  together  birds  which  have 
neither  prominence  of  shoulder  or  wing,  nor  with  thick  necks.  Birds  so  mated 
will  never  throw  good  shoulders,  drive,  nor  action." 
