27 October 1906: Billed as the ‘most significant exhibition of cage birds in the kingdom,’ Hulme Town Hall allows breeders to indicate 1500 birds
Just now the Hulme Town Hall is filled with the twittering of many canaries. It is the indicate of the Manchester and Northern Counties Ornithological Society, the most significant exhibition of cage birds in the kingdom. To the amateur it is astonishing to find to what an extent the breeding of canaries is carried. There are some dozens of distinct varieties, and not to speak of the “mules” or cross-breeds between canaries and other kinds of birds.
One walks down long lanes lined on either side by slight cages,each containing a small cheery yellow, green, and cinnamon coloured bird. There are more than 1500 birds,whose niceties of tint and form are giving pleasure to the fanciers. The Norwich canaries are perhaps the most excellent as they are certainly the most numerous exhibits. The Norwich canary is known by his wealthy reddish-yellow breast. The aim of the fancier is to get as “warm” a colour as possible. Then there is the Lancashire canary, the “Lancashire coppy, and ” much affected in Rochdale and Oldham and thereabouts. This is the bird of a graceful pure yellow,with a slight round crest like a cap. The spangled lizard canary is a pretty fellow, too, or with his neat,trim body and gold-coloured patch on the top of his head. Some lovers of canaries prefer the cinnamon breed, and they are certainly delightful creatures in their deep mellow coat.
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Source: theguardian.com