Novices !sx Study The Palace Winning Canaries .sx Concentration on Show Points Will be Well Rewarded .sx By W. E. Brooks .sx One of the most important things for a novice Canary breeder to be able to do is to recognise at a glance the essential good points of an ideal specimen in the breeds in which he is interested .sx This is acquired by practice rather than from the written word .sx To perceive the good points and to spot the faults in any given specimen requires many hours of close study .sx The written word sets forth the list of essential points which a good Show Canary should possess , but to apply it to the living bird needs constant practice and application .sx One has to fix in one's eye the outline of the ideal specimen .sx Once this has been acquired it will be found quite easy to " fault a bird " almost at a glance , for the faults will stand out from the perfect specimen which you have thus created in your mind's eye .sx No better opportunity could present itself for the exercise of this faculty than the great Crystal Palace Show .sx Here we have over 4,000 birds gathered together in 292 classes .sx Practically every variety of cage bird known to aviculture is represented .sx A Great Opportunity to Study Points .sx Whatever your fancy may be , here is the greatest opportunity you can possibly have to study some of the finest specimens in the world .sx What would our fancier friends abroad give to be able to attend this glorious show , which is almost at your door ?sx Perhaps you have no conception of the vast array of colour , quality and variety that the words " Crystal Palace " engender .sx You may perhaps say that you have visited your local show , or a nearby Open Show , and that therefore you have seen all there is to be seen in the Cage Bird World !sx Believe me , your local show is a mere fleabite compared with the Palace - the Mecca of the World of Birds .sx You may find your local show winners , which up to now you have considered " ideal specimens , " amongst the " also rans .sx " But , be it remembered , a bird out of the cards at the Palace is by no means disgraced ; many a Cup and Diploma winner has had to wait until the Palace before he tastes the bitter cup of defeat .sx Champion meets Champion at the Palace , and the best bird wins !sx Here , then , is the opportunity to learn where your favourite charmer has failed or to turn your attention to more exquisite specimens .sx To a novice Canary fancier , the show at the Palace is like the Barrack Square to the soldier ( but a deal more enjoyable) .sx It is the training ground whereon the finished article is fashioned and perfected .sx To attend a show just to admire it as a spectacle or to see who has won , or merely for the social atmosphere , is of no use to the novice if he wishes to get on in the Fancy .sx Imagine Yourself a Judge .sx There is ample scope and opportunity for the use of one's powers of observation in the intelligent study of the winning birds , and one should use one's brains in an endeavour to ascertain the reason for the judges so placing their awards .sx This is better by far than asking a judge " why he did so and so , " without first having thought the matter out for oneself .sx Such procedure seems like a schoolboy copying the answers to his sums from a concealed answer book ; it is easy of accomplishment , but there may come a time when the answer book is not in the appropriate pocket !sx If after a careful and intelligent study of the birds " in the cards , " and also of any outstanding specimens " out of the cards , " you feel that there are certain points which call for elucidation , by all means enquire from one of the stewards in attendance for guidance to someone who will give the required explanation .sx The man or woman who visits a show with the first and foremost idea of learning something is the one who will make headway in the Fancy , and the one who will acquire confidence in himself or herself by reason of the knowledge so gained .sx All About Budgerigars .sx An Important Correction - Special Nest Boxes for Winter Breeding - Budgies and Red Mite .sx By P. J. Norman .sx I must preface my notes this week with an apology and a protest , the first to my readers and the second to the printer .sx The latter evidently has some " splits " ( / ) to spare , and has worked them off on me , the consequence being that my list of matings contains no less than seven " White/Blues , " which should have been White Blues ( no line) .sx I am afraid a novice trying to follow my article would be sadly confused .sx The printer has my sympathy , for unless he breeds Budgerigars , he can be excused for thinking a few extra " splits " might make things more interesting !sx A White is never " split .sx " I have had a complaint from a breeder that a number of his Budgie eggs failed to hatch , although they were fertile and the chicks were formed .sx On investigating this , I found his nest boxes were responsible , the cutting of the egg cavity , or depression , in the bottom of the box had left the wood so thin that the eggs had become chilled .sx Very many nest boxes fail in this respect .sx The makers should use a much thicker piece of wood for the bottoms , so that when the egg cavity is cut , at least half an inch of wood remains .sx I have seen a box that , when held to the light , one could see daylight through the wood at this important spot .sx Little wonder that the eggs did not hatch in cold weather .sx The poor hen would have to run a very high temperature to overcome that !sx Extra Thick Bases to Nests .sx For winter breeding , I have some specially made boxes with two inches of wood on the bottoms .sx I also adapt the ordinary boxes by screwing on to the bottoms a piece of half inch deal cut to fit ; this has proved very successful , and is easily done .sx A piece of cork lino would , no doubt , be just as efficient , perhaps more so .sx Before screwing it on , I dust on a good thickness of Keatings , otherwise one would be providing an excellent home and breeding ground for Mr. and Mrs. Red Mite .sx Oh , yes !sx Budgies can , and do , suffer from these little pests .sx I introduced some last summer with a second-hand nest box I was asked to try out , and I had to be constantly at war with the little red brutes in that aviary all the summer .sx After the chicks had hatched , I changed the nest boxes weekly , and well baked them in the oven each time .sx In the end I think I got the last of them , and no tears were shed when he was cremated .sx Foreign Beauties at the Palace .sx Where They Come From and How They Are Fed .sx By Mrs. A. Hammond .sx Perhaps a few notes on the birds eligible for the different sections of the Foreign Classes at this week's great Palace Show may help visitors to appreciate the feathered wonders to be seen .sx They are divided into three groups - the Parrot Section , the Seedeaters ( or Hardbills ) , and the Softbills .sx The entry in these classes of 375 is a wonderful one , and show the increasing interest in foreign birds as pets .sx To begin with the Parrot Section .sx First on the list is the group of Parrot-like birds comprising the Lories , Lorikeets , and Hanging Parrots .sx These are the Softbills of the Parrot tribe , and they have brush-like tongues .sx Though some have been kept alive for a considerable time in captivity on seeds , their proper diet is nectar , variously compounded Nestle's or Horlick's milk , honey , Mellins food , etc. , with boiling water and fruits .sx Lorikeets and Lories .sx They show the same difference in the extra depth of colour , gloss , and glow of plumage that is to be between Softbills and Hardbills .sx Lorikeets are smaller than Lories , and are to them what Parakeets are to parrots , being usually longerbilled .sx Hanging parrots are very small , and , as their name indicates , favour an upside-down posture from branch , perch , or roof of cage .sx This section hails from Australia , the Eastern Australian Islands , the Malay Archipelago , and other isles of the East .sx Next comes the Lovebird class , small birds with short tails , like miniature Parrots .sx They hail from Africa , are fed on canary and millet seed , used to be very freely imported , except one or two rarer sorts , and have been largely bred in captivity .sx The next class is devoted to the eight species comprising the Brotogery family , small South American Parakeets which are , however , more of the form of Parrots .sx Most of them become very tame , and make charming little pets .sx The class following is a mixture of Australian , Indian and African Parrakeets of various sizes and colouration , mostly of species that used to be very commonly imported , including the Cockatiels and Red-rumps , which are much bred in captivity .sx The Beautiful Conure Family .sx The next class embraces all the Conures , a family of South American Parrakeets varying in size and colouration , with large , thick bills .sx The rarest and most desired of these are the Golden Conure , and the Queen of Bavaria Conure .sx This class also includes four of the smaller Macaws .sx Next comes a class devoted to nine of the rarer Australian Parakeets , and finally , before coming to the Parrots themselves , a class for any species of Parrakeet not already classified .sx Then we have a large mixed Parrot class , for which our friend the African Grey is eligible , also his close relative , the Timneh , in company with three other African Parrots of genus Poecephalis , our other old friend , the Blue-fronted Amazon family , of varied rareness .sx The following three Parrot classes cater for all White and Rose-breasted Cockatoos , then for any other kinds of Cockatoos , and all the big Macaws , and finally a class for any Parrot not already catered for in any of the foregoing .sx We then come to a class for any sort of abnormally-coloured or Hybrid Foreigner , and thus to the seedeaters .sx First one for Doves , Pigeons Pheasants , etc. , one for the favourite little Zebra Finch ( so much bred in captivity ) , and then a class for three kinds of the commoner African Waxbills , the common Avadavat of India , African Cutthroats and Singing Finches , Combassous and Indian and African Silverbills .sx Following the African Fire and Lavender Finches , Blue-headed and Blue-breasted Waxbills , their close , commoner relative , the dainty little Cordon Bleu , the wee Zebra Waxbill from Africa - more often known as the Golden-breasted Waxbill - and the now rather rare Green Avadavat .sx Now comes a class for 14 species of Mannikins from Africa and the East , short , thick-set birds , with heavy bill , including the well-known Java Sparrow .sx After that we have a selection of Grassfinches , Mannikins and Waxbills confined to denizens of Australia , followed by one for the much-beloved Gouldian , five other Australian Finches , the beautiful Parrot Finches of the Islands , and any Waxbill , Firefinch or Grassfinch not already catered for by name .sx The class which includes the widely-kept South American Buntings ( the Indigo,Nonpariel , and Rainbow ) , also houses the charming little family of South American Grosbeaks , the Spermophila , who have dear little songs , and a very varied number of Siskins .sx Song Sparrows and Singing Finches are also eligible for this class .sx The Jolly Cardinals .sx The popular Cardinals such as the Red-crested , Pope , the slightly more expensive Virginian , renowned for its song , the rarer Green are placed with the larger Grosbeaks , and the Hawfinches .sx The last seedeater class is that for the popular Weavers and Whydahs , from Africa .sx The last section of 12 classes comprises all the Softbills - that is , the insect , fruit , and nectar feeding birds .sx First comes the section for 13 named Tanagers , a beautiful family of birds , embracing some of the most exquisite creatures in feathers .sx About 25 only of this large family are imported .sx They feed on insect mixtures and fruit , and are confined to South America .sx