248 CANARIES AND CA(; K- II I If I)S. 



different breeders varies ; each being governed by the amount of money he ean 

 invest, and the size of room or rooms which can be spared. In cases where the 

 breeders are too poor to buy the "Heck " or parent birds, such birds are sent him 

 without charge by the exporter, who thus gains the right to purchase all the birds 

 raised. In some cases money is paid in advance to the leading bird-fanciers of a 

 village, which secures for the dealer all the birds raised in that section. The 

 dealer selects his pickers, and assigns each to a certain village or district. In many 

 cases the picker is the only one recognized, the dealer being known only by name, 

 and never seen in person, and his coming is usually heralded. His arrival is 

 warmly greeted : as he bears interesting news from the outside world to the secluded 

 hamlet, and gives information as to the ruling prices in the bird-market. As his 

 conscience might be hurt should he give too high figures, he never quotes above par. 

 He carries the small cages so commonly seen in the bird-shops. These cages, by 

 the way, are an industry by themselves, and consume a deal of time and labor in 

 their construction. They are made by the poorest classes, chiefly miners and wood- 

 cutters, who whittle them out by hand : the entire family engage in their manufac- 

 ture. Tanne (fir)? a straight-grained, soft wood, easily split, is used. A finished 

 cage sells for ten pfennig, or about two cents and a half American coin. The 

 average number completed per night as they are only made during the evening 

 hours, when no outdoor work can be done is fifteen. When a case, two hundred 

 and ten cages, is ready, it is sold to the large dealer ; the goods are always in 

 demand, and the manufacturer easily finds a ready market for them : still, I am not 

 acquainted with any manufacturer who has retired a millionnaire from this business'. 

 The picker starts in the morning as soon as the light will permit him to readily 

 distinguish shades ; as the Canaries are selected, males from females, by the colors 

 on their heads. This branch of the business is learned only after years of constant 

 practice, and even then mistakes may easily be made. To select without error the 

 males from the females, requires sharp eyes, and a pretty thorough knowledge of 

 human nature : for the simple bird-raisers are not always guileless, as the following 

 experience will prove : The picker is assured that an old female bird (the most 

 difficult Canary of all to judge) is the male from which the splendid stock before 

 him was raised : he does not wish to quarrel with the breeder, whose birds he 

 desires to buy ; but still, confident in his own judgment, he is always able to laugh 

 the matter off by telling the breeder to keep the bird until the next time he calls, 

 or that he will send for him by the next mail, as he is looking for a bird of just that 

 sort, but would be sorry to mix so fine a one with the common herd. The woman 

 of the house she is generally the party with whom the bargain is made 

 assures him that the bird is not a female, as he is a beautiful singer. " You are a 

 female, and a fine singer too." he replies. So, flattered and bantered out of it, she 

 retires, muttering, "You vogel fellows vas too slim art." Thus it is from house to 

 house he encounters the hard-headed traders who know more of the business than 

 he ; but, being supplied with an inexhaustible amount of good-nature, he goes home 

 not such a bad fellow after all. A good day's work, provided the houses of the 

 village are close together, and the season a prolific one, is, to pick two hundred birds. 

 The strongest birds are the ones taken on the first trips, the birds last hatched and 

 the females being left until later in the season. 



