Cinnamon canaries from Canaries, Hybrids & British Birds-FI

History, part 12: Rudolf Galloway’s theory

Posted on 26/06/201626/06/2016 by Huw Evans 2 Comments

“It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” – Sherlock Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia. When Rudolf Galloway began keeping records of his breeding experiments with canaries and British finches in 1891, he was ahead of […]... Read More

‘Edwardian Taxidermy Crested Canary’-fss

Bird’s Eye View: The London Folly canary

Posted on 10/06/2016 by Huw Evans 3 Comments

A fisherman saw something resting on the surface for three or four minutes before it did a surface roll underwater and disappeared. It was described as almost black in colour and close to a seal in size. What was this mysterious creature?... Read More

Practice: the egg

Posted on 03/06/2016 by Huw Evans Leave a comment

We all know what a canary egg looks like, don’t we? Pale blue with some reddish splodges. It may be a miracle of nature, but our real interest does not go much further than wondering whether it will deliver a chick into this world. This season has reminded me that eggs are not that simple.... Read More

History, part 11: Hervieux’s list

Posted on 31/05/2016 by Huw Evans 4 Comments

Nouveau traité des serins de Canaries: a small book, you can hold it comfortably in the palm of your hand; leather bound, but otherwise crudely printed; 327 pages (excluding the contents, preface and dedication); three illustrations, but sadly none of the birds themselves. Nothing special you might think, yet this book propelled the canary into […]... Read More

Nuovo Trattato Utilissimo de Cannarini-FI

History, Part 10: a dozen things you probably didn’t know about Hervieux

Posted on 22/05/201627/01/2021 by Huw Evans Leave a comment

For such an important and widely published author, we know surprisingly little about Hervieux de Chanteloup, whom we met in History 9.... Read More

Bird’s eye view: Who’ll crack the enigma?

Posted on 19/05/201620/05/2016 by Huw Evans Leave a comment

We all like a good mystery tale, and the London Fancy is the biggest mystery in the canary world. ... Read More

History, part 9: the turn of the century

Posted on 13/05/2016 by Huw Evans Leave a comment

My history series has reached 1700. A good time to take stock, like one of those end-of-year magazine articles that review past events, look at current trends, and attempt to forecast future developments. ... Read More

fine spangled sort

The London Fancy and the Lizard canary

London Fancy