36o 
Our  Canaries 
EYE-MARKS  AJ^D  UNDERFLUE. 
Rather  dissimilar  are  some  of  Mr.  R.  E.  Helliwell's  views,  notably  his  opinion, 
on  the  question  of  dark  underflue  ;  yet  his  practical  experience  as  a  breeder  en- 
titles any  opinion  of  his  to  every  respect,  and  we  therefore  give  it  in  his  own  words: 
"  In  building  up  a  strain  of  even-marks,"  he  writes,  "  I  prefer  the  cinnamon- 
marked,  as  markings  are  bred  in  this  variety  considerably  more  than  in  the  green- 
marked.  Get  one  or  two  cinnamon-marked  hens,  either  yellow  or  buff,  with  eye- 
marks— one  or  both  eyes  will  do — and  if  rather  heavy  marked  so  much  the  better. 
But  get  the  markings  around  the  eyes,  as  they  moult  lighter  each  year,  especially 
the  cinnamon-marks.  Get  these  hens  with  wing-marks  also,  but  not  too  heavy. 
About  one  to  three  marked  feathers  in  the  secondary  flights,  and  not  up  the  middle 
of  the  bird's  back,  are  sufficient.  The  latter,  and  those  marked  on  the  outside 
flights  [primaries:  C.  St.  J.]  must  be  discarded,  and  also  birds  marked  on  chest, 
back,  rump,  neck  and  cap-marked.  These  marks  are  detrimental,  but  dark  under- 
flue at  the  top  of  the  legs  is  no  detriment  at  all.  I  have  had  good  birds  put  out 
of  the  cards  for  this  fault,  but  it  has  been  a  mistake  on  the  judge's  part.  Get 
green-marked  cocks  marked  lightly,  and  as  nearly  as  possible  similar  to  the  hens. 
My  conviction  is  you  must  pair  up  like  to  produce  like  in  this  respect.  I  prefer 
the  green  blood  on  the  male  side  as  you  get  denser  markings  in  this  way.  But 
you  must  have  eye  ticks  or  m.arks  on  the  female  side.  It  is  not  so  essential  to  have 
these  marks  on  the  male  side.  I  do  not  object  to  putting  two  heavily  marked 
birds  together,  provided  they  are  technically  marked  and  bred  from  a  marked 
strain  and  not  from  greens.  The  best  marked  young  from  these  pairs  should  be 
mated  together.  If  they  breed  a  clear  cock,  either  green  or  pink  eyed,  keep  it  and 
mate  it  with  the  best  marked  hen  you  breed,  but  if  it  should  be  a  hen  discard  it 
for  marked  breeding,  but  it  will  be  a  useful  bird  for  breeding  other  varieties." 
BREEDING  CINNAMON-MARKS. 
In  kindly  writing  us  on  the  subject  of  starting  a  strain  of  cinnamon-marks 
Messrs.  Ogden  Bros,  of  Bradford,  say  :  "We  advise  starting  with  a  cinnamon- 
marked — marked  both  eyes  and  both  wings— and  a  clear  pink-eyed  or  very 
slightly  ticked.  In  mating  two  marked  birds  together  they  often  throw  young  too 
heavily  marked,  and  we  have  proved  that  it  is  better  to  be  under  rather  than  over 
marked.  We  have  bred  several  self  cinnamons  from  two  well  marked  birds.  One 
must  not  expect  two  perfectly  marked  birds  to  breed  all  perfectly  marked  young. 
It  is  quite  possible  to  get  clear,  ticked,  well  marked,  or  self  cinnamons.  If  you 
pair  these  self  cinnamons  next  season  to  clear  pink-eyed  birds  bred  of  well  marked 
parents — if  a  bit  related  so  much  the  better— you  will  be  certain  to  breed  good 
marked  birds.  We  have  bred  birds  on  several  occasions  with  self  cinnamons  in 
this  way,  and  obtained  some  excellent  marked  birds— both  eyes  and  both  wings,  as 
near  even  as  possible.    But  you  cannot  do  this  with  every  self  cinnamon.  Herein 
