32 STRA V FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



being sent from different parts of the world to London 

 and Liverpool, where, from the establishments of certain 

 well-known dealers, they are despatched to all parts of 

 the country. Distant China sends us her lovely 

 Mandarin Ducks ; India her Peacocks and her magnifi- 

 cent Pheasants ; Africa her Grey Parrots, which learn to 

 talk more readily than any other species of this talkative 

 family of birds ; whilst we, in our turn, export Robins, 

 Thrushes, Goldfinches, Linnets, and other birds to distant 

 colonies, where they find a ready sale at remunerative 

 prices to settlers from the old country. We need not 

 enter more minutely into this portion of our subject to 

 show the great commercial value of these birds of orna- 

 ment and song, nor need we employ more details to 

 illustrate the importance of an industry which finds 

 employment for so many individuals. 



Again, no other objects of the animal or vegetable 

 worlds figure so frequently in designs and all kinds of 

 decorative art as birds. The Japanese are perhaps the 

 most ingenious bird designers in the world, scarcely an 

 article made by that highly artistic people being without 

 bird ornamentation of some kind. Birds figure in the 

 designs on their pottery and china, on their fabrics, their 

 fans, screens, and various kinds of paper-work, and are 

 even used as models for their gods. Amongst western 

 nations, the bird is held in high repute for decorative 

 purposes, and in endless ways it is introduced into all 



