EXHIBITION A MEANS OF SALE. 59 



good prices it is impossible breeding them can pay. Shows are 

 the greatest help towards selling really good birds; and a really 

 first-class price now and then is a wonderful help towards 

 expenses. We give the following as prices which have been 

 realised during the last few years within our own personal 

 knowledge; and it is worth noting that in most cases they 

 were reaped by genuine private breeders, and not by the 

 leviathan dealers who are sometimes supposed to monopolise 

 this sort of thing. Carriers, 100 (twice) and 60 ; Pouters, 

 55, 50, 48; Barbs, 30, 25; Dragoons, 25 (three 

 times) and 20; English Owls, 50, 40; Turbits, 35, 30 ; 

 Antwerps, 50 (twice) and 35. These birds were of course 

 the pick of their several varieties, and in some of the cases the 

 above prices were given by dealers for their possession. Fair 

 prices would be reaped much oftener by young breeders did 

 they have the modesty to confine themselves to one sort, or at 

 most to two, the second of which was either useful as a 

 " feeder " for the other, very similar to it in character, or very 

 dissimilar. Such a limited field of effort may be mastered, as 

 has frequently been done ; and a second variety, selected as 

 above, will not spoil the inexperienced eye, as any other choice 

 is almost sure to do. 



The exhibition so necessary need not necessarily, however, 

 be at public shows or for money prizes. In nearly every large 

 town there is now a respectable Columbarian Society, holding 

 monthly meetings ; and at these meetings the amateur can 

 exhibit his birds without the fatigue of long journeys and long 

 confinement, taking them himself, and returning them after a 

 very few hours to their loft, thus getting their merits canvassed 

 in the freest and most friendly way possible. This will answer 

 every necessary purpose if the birds shown by other members 

 of the society are good enough a fact that can readily be 

 ascertained. Really first-rate quality can be sold by this 

 kind of exhibition as readily as by the other ; and there are 



