CANARY-BIRD. 
79 
colour, without being lpotted with foul feathers; 
for thefe foulnefies indicate a mixture in their 
blood, and that the breed has fome time or 
other been eroded. 
Breeders of fancy birds are dill more curious 
as to feather there being feveral fubfeription 
focieties in London which raife annual pre- 
miums for the fined birds, and who have a pat- 
tern bird beautifully engraved and coloured v as 
the dandard of perfection, with his various 
characters explained in a technical dile under- 
neath. But as a perfon ought to be a connoif- 
feur before he undertakes to raife prize birds, it 
may be diffident to obferve, that no excellence 
in the feathers of fancy birds is any fecurity for 
breeding equally perfect young ones from them, 
as defeCts will often appear m fome reipeCt or 
other: while, on the contrary, two indifferent 
birds may fometimes produce a very fine one. 
The principal teft of a good fancy bird is the 
having a clean cap ; that is, the crown of his 
head, defined by a horizontal line at the level 
of his eyes and beak, is to be of a clean yellow 
or white, without being broke or fpotted with 
foul feathers ; and a Angle feather of this kind 
is a drawback from his perfection j though this 
degree of perfection is feldom found. Add to 
this, that his back, wings, and tail, ought to be 
as clear from yellow or white feathers. The 
finer he is mettled on the back, and clearer yel- 
