CHAPTER XX.

THE LIZARD.

THIS very beautiful and unique variety of canary stands preeminent, in the estimation of nearly all true fanciers, among what may be considered the real English Fancy canaries. There is no means of tracing the origin of these birds, but they have been known and esteemed among fanciers in this country for a great many years, and I think there is little doubt that they are the real source from which some other known varieties have been derived. They are great favourites in some of the midland and northern counties of England, especially Lancashire and Nottinghamshire; and it is in these counties that the best specimens are usually bred, although the county of Durham has, within the past few years, produced specimens which have successfully competed against all comers.

TRIMMING.-Lizard canaries are more frequently tampered with than any other variety by unprincipled exhibitors, hence it behoves judges to exercise their utmost vigilance and circumspection in judging these birds. A bald face is artificially coloured, sometimes very dexterously; a small cap is enlarged and enriched in colour by the use of a Judson's dye or a strong solution of saffron; white flight or tail feathers are extracted, and corresponding but dark feathers, drawn from other birds, are cleverly substituted for them; the tweezers are frequently brought into requisition to remove some tiny dark feathers from the cap, and when the pinion covers are intermixed with white, the white feathers are skilfully clipped close off, and the legs

and bills are often stained black; in fact, every Lizard sent to compete at an exhibition should be handled and minutely examined all over by the judge. If a wing or tail feather projects beyond the natural line, or falls short of it, examine it most particularly, for it is a suspicious circumstance; and be sure to see that none of the feathers have been cut or trimmed. When a judge discovers a bird that has been fraudulently tampered with, he should make the fact public, despite any entreaties that may be urged against his doing so. Those fanciers who are mean enough to perpetrate such barefaced deception cannot be too severely censured and condemned.

SHOW PLUMAGE.-Young Lizards in their nest feathers are devoid of spangles; but when they moult these are produced, and, when fully moulted, they are in full show plumage, and not afterwards. Every time a Lizard moults it becomes paler in colour, in the wings especially, and the colour sometimes runs. Particularly is this the case if a bird is out of health at the time of moulting. Lizards are known among Scotchmen as "macaronies."

BREEDING.-In order to breed high-class birds of this variety, the greatest care and discrimination are necessary in the selection of your stock birds. Quality is the first thing to be considered. See that the birds you select are of the correct ground colour, for this is an essential point to begin with; that of a Golden Spangled Lizard should be of a deep, rich, velvety, greenish-golden, bronze colour, and the surface of the feathers should be entirely pervaded with a silvery, greyish luminosity, that adds richness to the colour, and is a sure sign of quality. Avoid all shades of hard greens, and smudginess or dinginess in line, as this denotes bad blood. In the Silver Spangled birds the ground colour should be a deep, greyish, silver green, with a slight tinge of golden yellow, and the bright silvery luminous shading of the upper surface should be more marked and conspicuous in this variety than in the Golden birds. Your next consideration is spangle,' as no Lizard is of any value that fails in this respect, and moreover the spangling should be decided, clear, and distinct, and not broken

or variegated in form. I admire a bird with a profusion of close, fine spangling about the neck, giving it the appearance of having a superbly and delicately worked lace collar, or a collar of superfine network, and as the spangling descends it should become more open and enlarged, and form a series of distinctive half-moons round the edges of the larger feathers. It should appear in long uniform stripes down the back of the bird, and perfectly regular in order. Always select large birds when obtainable, birds with wide skulls, broad backs, and full prominent breasts, but on no account must size supersede quality. The advantage gained by a good big bird is, that it shows the spangling and cap to much greater advantage than a smaller specimen. Never breed from bald-faced birds, that is, birds that show clear-coloured feathers below the eye and at the root of the beak, nor from birds that have white feathers on the wings or tail, as these faults would be propagated in the offspring. A good broad well-formed cap is an essential point in a Lizard, but it frequently happens that the best capped birds are deficient in spangling, and vice versâ; therefore, I recommend a bird with a well-formed full cap, and not too profuse in spangles, to be mated with a bird of the opposite sex that is rich and full of work," as spangling is termed, and whose cap may be small and even 'broken;" but I do not advocate breeding from "broken" capped birds, unless they are highly meritorious in all other respects. It is equally objectionable to mate two over-capped birds, but to put an over-capped bird-that is, when the cap runs partly down the back-with a bird that is slightly under-capped, short, and barely reaching to the base of the skull, is frequently attended with excellent results. Never put two birds to breed that are both "under-capped," as it has a tendency to circumscribe this valuable appendage. I once bred a magnificently spangled Lizard in this way, but it was entirely destitute of a cap. I put it with an overcapped bird the following year, and from this pair I reared some wonderful youngsters. It is customary to mate a Gold and Silver bird together, but to increase the size and stamina

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