Ludlow

The Evenly-marked Yorkshire Canary.

This variety has been produced chiefly by crossing the Belgian with the Lancashire Coppy, the Cinnamon Variegated, and other kinds.

CHAPTER XII.

THE YORKSHIRE FANCY.

THE bird fanciers in London, Norwich, Scotland, and other towns and countries, each have a special and distinct variety of canary of their own; and Yorkshiremen, actuated, no doubt, with the laudable desire to aim at originality, and to emulate the example set by their confrères, have attempted to establish a variety of canaries peculiar to the county of "broad acres." With this object in view, they have striven to produce a breed of birds differing in some respects from all known varieties, and, to some extent, their endeavours have been crowned with success. At the present moment this breed of birds may be regarded as being in its infancy, but no doubt in the course of a few more years we shall see a marked progress and improvement in them.* Improvement always takes a considerable time to develop-in anything appertaining to perfection—a new variety of any description, whether it be birds, animals, plants, flowers, or what not, for in point of fact there is invariably a diversity of opinion, even among those who are considered best able to judge of their merits or demerits, as to what ought to constitute an essential quality and what a disparagement; and until these differences are finally set at rest onward progress is sure to be retarded.

BREEDING.-The Yorkshire Fancy birds are produced chiefly by crossing the Belgian Fancy and some other varieties of canaries together, such, for instance, as the Manchester Coppy,

* Since the foregoing was written a marked improvement in the contour of these birds has taken place.

the Cinnamon variegated, and the common breed of canary; and some breeders, who are fond of rich bright colours, have ventured to introduce a cross of the Norwich Fancy blood as well; but the majority of them-and among these may be counted their most ardent admirers-entirely ignore both the colour and shape of the Norwich variety, and regard all specimens inheriting any of the properties of the last-named breed with much disfavour.

To breed Yorkshire Fancy canaries successfully and fit for competition it will be necessary to procure a few long, thin Belgian canaries, or, to be more accurate in my description, I probably ought to say three-quarter bred Belgian canaries, select those that are very deficient in shoulder and as straight in shape as they can be obtained-in fact, to speak plainly, birds known in the "fancy" as "bad Belgian canaries,"—those least esteemed and of little value except for breeding purposes of this sort. In addition to these you should get a few plain-headed Manchester Coppies and a few half-bred Dutch or French canaries-I prefer the latter for my own fancy-always keep in view great length of body and tail; the recognised shape and fineness of feather as well. Cross the different breeds of birds already enumerated in such a way as you consider best calculated to obtain the qualities most desired, always eschewing all birds to breed from that show the least inclination to curves whether in the back or tail. After you succeed in producing a race of birds to your mind, adopt the method of "sib" breeding (in-and-in), and this may be indulged in pretty freely at first, as it is the safest plan to follow, and the only one that can be relied upon with certainty for reproducing, establishing, and perpetuating certain features with accuracy, but, as I have before pointed out, in treating of other varieties, care must be taken not to overdo it, or your birds will degenerate in size and stamina, and become puny and delicate. Experience, however, will prove the best and most trustworthy tutor in this respect. The observations I have made relate to the clear varieties only. If you desire to breed evenly-marked birds or unevenly-marked birds, you must observe strictly the same rules for crossing as those laid down for breeding the marked varieties of Norwich Fancy canaries.

Some slight alterations have taken place in the style and type of these birds since I wrote my former account of them. At a conference held at Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1890, it was agreed that the length of a bird of this variety should not exceed 63in. in length, to be eligible for competition at any show. This regulation is to prevent too free a use of the Lancashire cross, and to preserve the type from running in that direction. The head of the bird now should be slightly arched at the crown, and colour is more keenly sought after than heretofore; but this addition to their appearance is most frequently obtained by artificial means, i.e., "colour feeding," in the same manner as that applied to the Norwich and Cinnamon varieties, breeds in which colour is a great desideratum. For my part I do not think that a bird should be rejected that measures 7in. in length, and I had hoped that this length would have been allowed.

The Lancashire cross has been freely used in the manufacture of this variety to get the birds into the form most admired, viz., straight, and to take away the slight curvature of the back, resulting from the Belgian alliance; but only those Lancashires are used that are long, straight, and slim, and sparse of feather, a class of birds that Lancashire breeders sell as "weeds" and "stragglers." Careful selection is one of the great sources of success in building up a good reliable strain of Yorkshires, or in fact of any other variety; but to this breed it is particularly applicable.

There will no doubt be bickerings and wordy disputes about measurements, as it is doubtful whether any two judges can measure a bird to a-quarter-of-an-inch. The measurement is usually obtained by placing a bird on its side, on a 2ft. rule, such as is used by carpenters, and I contend that a judge may, if he be so disposed, stretch a bird fully a-quarter-ofan-inch; but to be perfectly fair no bird should be subject to this operation. The usual method is to take the length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, and to ensure exactness a padded frame should be used, with an upright piece of wood at one end and a sliding piece at the other,