138 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



unmusical voice, it proves to be an excellent 

 performer when trained. Under the impulse of 

 imitation it learns to sing and whistle clearly 

 and sweetly, this ability making it much sought 

 for on the market. 



Both these birds the canary and the bullfinch 

 are imported into the United States in great 

 numbers, canaries of course greatly predominat- 

 ing. Each bird occupies a small cage about five 

 inches wide by six inches deep and tall. Seven 

 cages are <slung on a strip of wood, a unit of 

 seven being known as a " stick " or "row." 

 These are placed in large wooden frames tightly 

 wrapped in canvas for shipment. The fronts of 

 the frames are open, with a canvas curtain draped 

 in such a manner that the birds have sufficient air 

 but cannot see or be frightened by what is going 

 on about them. 



Upon reaching their destination, the cages are 

 piled one above the other in great tiers, and the 

 birds graded according to quality of voice. They 

 are then ready for shipping to the retail dealers 

 who sell them to their final owners. 



The World War interfered seriously with the 

 importation of foreign song-birds and the trade 

 has fallen off to a large extent. Before the war 

 an annual average of more than 350,000 canaries 

 was introduced into the United States from 

 abroad; now scarcely half that number arrive 



