THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF BIRDS. 35 



swallowing the spoil, and one man will manage from 

 two to half a dozen birds. These Cormorants represent 

 so much of the poor fisherman's capital, and their 

 training is a work requiring no small amount of patience 

 and skill. Even the fishermen of our own coasts value 

 the sea-birds, and by observing their actions are often 

 led to many a rich shoal of fish. Savage man is not far 

 behind his civilised brother in making use of birds in 

 his various hunting expeditions. The interesting little 

 Honey Guides of the South African forests lead the 

 natives through the dense jungles and thickets, often for 

 miles and miles, till they unerringly point out to him 

 the presence of a goodly store of honey in some hollow 

 tree. These birds are commercially valuable to the 

 simple native of tropical Africa, who barters the honey 

 he so obtains for the necessaries or luxuries of his simple 

 life. A passing word must be given to the keeping of 

 Game Cocks for fighting purposes. By law, the cruelties 

 of the cockpit are forbidden ; but many birds still con- 

 tinue to be trained for battle, and there is no doubt 

 whatever, that a well-bred Game Cock is worth nearly 

 as much now commercially as in the palmy days of 

 the sport. Many of the smaller birds are also used in 

 the chase to decoy their wild companions to captivity 

 well trained ones fetching exorbitant prices. 



A glance at "Carrier" Pigeons will bring this division 

 of our subject to a close. The various breeds of Homing 



D 2 



