Recent Toiiriiainvnts, Etc. 



243 



along- in the same old groove for the 

 next four years after the ele6lion of 

 November ? Politics are, of course, a 

 taboed thing- for a journal of • this 

 character; but when things political 

 may change the whole system of sales, 

 a word or so in reference to the matter 

 may not be out of place. Everyone 

 knows of the depression that has ex- 

 isted in the gun trade for some years 

 past. x\ll sorts of opinions have been 

 put forth as to the reasons of this de- 

 pression. Some mention one thing as 

 the cause; others, apparently as well 

 informed, advance other arguments as 

 to the reason of it. When doctors 

 disagree, what right has a layman to 

 advance an opinion ? Wherever one 

 goes, he hears — bicycle ! bicycle ! To 

 that manufaclure is given the dulness 

 of other trades. True, the sales of 

 wheels have been simply astounding in 

 their number. In Buffalo, it is stated 

 there are 44,000 wheels in active use. 

 That city has a population of a little 

 over 300,000 inhabitants. The cost of 

 these wheels will average, without 

 doubt, $60.00 each. This gives us, as 

 a locked-up capital, the enormous ag- 

 gregate of $2,640,000.00, a sum so 

 great as to almost stagger belief; and 

 a very large part of this amount has 

 been expended within the last five 

 years. On this same basis of wheels 

 to population, New York and Brooklyn, 

 with their three millions of people, 

 should own 440,000 wheels, whose 

 value in cash is the astounding sum 

 of $26,440,000.00 ! This estimate seems 

 far too great to be true; but, even if 

 only approximate, it seems to give 

 some idea of the terrific outlay that has 

 been incurred during the five years 

 mentioned. That the demand is not 

 yet over, I would mention the follow- 

 ing incident: A few days ago, the 



writer's watch gave out — the most usual 

 cau.se, a .snapped main spring. It was 

 taken to an old jeweller, whom the 

 writer has known for years. Asking 

 how business was, the reply came, 

 without a moment's hesitation: "Ab- 

 solutely rotten; bicycles have about 

 ruined me, let me tell you. An old 

 customer of mine came to me the other 

 day and ordered two gold watches and 

 chains, as birthday presents for his 

 twin daughters. I procured them for 

 him, and he took them home to show 

 them to his wife. While she admired 

 them, she said at once : ' If you wish 

 to please the girls, take those watches 

 back and buy them bicycles; each is 

 crazy to have a wheel. ' So back those 

 timepieces came to me. I lost twc 

 sales and the wheel dealers made two. 

 I am disgusted through and through." 

 There you are. The whole trouble in a 

 nut-shell. When the prevailing hobby 

 is gratified to the fullest extent, then 

 will trade go back to the old channels ; 

 but not for some time to come. At the 

 present moment, all and everything is 

 sacrificed in order to obtain a wheel. 

 The desire must be gratified, and the 

 wash will hold until everyone that can 

 buy, beg, borrow or steal, is provided 

 with what they most covet of all things 

 on earth. 



A QUESTION IN ORNITHOLOGY. 



A discussion has recently come up 

 regarding the good or harm done by 

 the thousands of hawks and owls which 

 are to be found in every part of the 

 country. The arguments are both for 

 and against, one side contending that 

 the birds do far more good than harm, 

 the other side taking a directly oppo- 

 site position. It is matter of common 

 belief that either the hawk or owl 

 prefers the eggs and young of other 

 birds, to any other sort of provender. 



