PIGEOXS AXD ALL ABOUT THEM. 49 



PRICES OF BIRDS. 



FOR -me to attempt to give quotations on pigeons in this 

 country at present, would be impossible-. 

 There is not nor can there be any uniform rate ; no 

 market quotations, so to speak. A good pigeon is worth what- 

 ever it will bring. 



To show how views vary, it is only necessary to look over 

 a catalogue of ono of our big shows Looking down the list 

 and noting the selling price affixed to each bird, one may 

 note half a dozen valued at $100 each, and from that on 

 down tv> $25. and some to a modest $10. Yet often when 

 the official list of awards comes out, it \\ill show that the $10 

 bird got first prize, the $25. birds second, third and fourth, 

 while the $100. birds did not get a place. Sometimes, and 

 very often, a breeder becomes overstocked, and finds that he 

 must either sell a lot, or give them away, as he cannot use a 

 crowded breeding loft, and has no other place in which to 

 put them in such cases. I have seen Tumblers easily worth 

 $10. each, go for a dollar each, and pairs of Jacobins, Pouters 

 Fans. etc. go for $5. per pair, that are well worth $10. to $15. 



Hight here is the benefit of a good reputation. When the 

 old breeders see by an ad. that Mr. So and So is selling off a 

 lot of surplus birds, they do not hesitate to buy, for they 

 know that with such stock as he keeps he could not breed 

 a really bad bird. Sometimes, he becomes desperate, and 

 sends off a lot to a dealer' and it is then and then only that 

 the latter has good birds. But the trouble is that he does 

 not know the best ones, as the breeder rarely takes the 

 trouble to send a list of leg-band numbers. 



Reverting to prices however, as connected with birds order- 

 ed especially for good lofts, I would say, don't buy cheap 

 birds. If a fancier writes you " I can sell you such and such 



