I’VE felt like an Egyptologist this week. Huw Evans gifted me his Old Varieties Canary Association (OVCA) newsletters covering a 10-year period and it’s a Tutankhamun hoard for Scots fancy lovers.
It’s undeniable that the Scots fancy owes a great deal to the breeders of the OVCA. Wil Cummings’s book Glasgow’s Famous Canary mentions Mr F. Holland of Southampton as one of the collaborators in recreating the variety. In a little piece written by B.D. Toghill, Mr Holland comes to life from being just a name. Long before GDPR, this newspaper passed on Mr Holland’s address to Mr Toghill and the two met after correspondence. Mr Holland was very excited to meet someone with an interest in Scots fancies and explained that there were very few breeders with any stock. As Mr Toghill writes: “Mr Holland said as far as he was aware, he and a man in Scotland” had the only stock. That Scotsman will have been Mr Cummings.
Mr Toghill describes the frilling on the birds’ chests and mantle and thought they resembled south Dutch frills (at least the curve was present.) That is an interesting comment, given what we know of the history of the breed.
Denne historien er fra October 16, 2019-utgaven av Cage & Aviary Birds.
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Denne historien er fra October 16, 2019-utgaven av Cage & Aviary Birds.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The World's Best-Known Hummingbird?
Intensively studied, the gem-like Anna’s hummingbird is a welcome visitor to the gardens of America’s most populous state: California. Bill Naylor investigates its life history
The charm of the English Cinnamon
Despite its long and complicated history, the true Cinnamon canary is still with us – in the hands of a tiny group of breeders. DONALD SKINNER-REID reckons it deserves wider appreciation
Spangles: a personal overview
FRED WRIGHT relates a budgie story of over-exploitation, consequent problems and abundant potential for the future
New converts to old breeds
Old and rare canaries have a reputation for adding fresh interest and challenge to the hobby. PETE HOOK and NICK JOY agree, and explain the birds’ charm to Dave Brown
Themed aviaries are a hit with the public at annual Stafford show
DECORATIVE AVIARY DISPLAYS from a CBS and an online bird keeping advice group were voted in the top three by visitors for the inaugural Stafford Aviary Competition.
Pieds with potential
More than just a lesser variety, the dominant pied will introduce challenge and change into most studs, reckons CLIVE WAKEMAN. Here he discusses pairings to try and others to avoid
Club News
Welcome to the club and show pages – the bit that’s all about you Results: convention, specialist & rare and Breeder of the Year
Canaries Month by Month:
With Christmas around the corner, BRIAN KEENAN is well into his winter programme, and reckons he might deserve a nice outcross
Smart Choice, Docile Nature
Dave Brown welcomes the masked grassfinch to his birdroom and shares advice on this lovely Australian species
The truth about the ‘flying toad'
Odd local names and weird superstitions can’t hide the beauty and elegance of the nightjar, a species that has made a fascinating subject in a few zoo collections, reveals BILL NAYLOR
