BT1U) BUYING AND IMPORTING. 



251. 



A London Fahir, 



In the large bird-house the birds, after being carefully sorted over, are placed in 

 the proper rooms : some are destined for London, others for New York, and some 

 for South America. The male birds sent to London by the large dealers are of two 

 grades, the very fine and the refuse : many females also are sent in the early season. 

 The men sent to London are an old hand and a young beginner, the latter sent to 

 make a short sea-trip, and learn the business of being able to withstand the attacks 



of London sharks. There is one distinct 

 bird-quarter in London to which the Ger- 

 man travellers always go ; and there they 

 are patronized by both the best class of 

 bird-dealers, who select fine stock, and by 

 the "Fakirs." who peddle on the street- 

 corners, and buy only female Canaries. 

 These females are taken home, and painted, 

 in London the birds are sold for their 

 color, and, after the artist's work is fin- 

 ished, they are taken out for sale. The 

 Fakir usually has a stand with patent soap 

 for sale, warranted to wash a negro white, 

 and, as an extra inducement to buy, offers 

 a fine singing cock Canary to the one who 

 draws the lucky paper in any of the pack- 

 ets. In this manner he disposes of an 

 enormous number of silent female Canaries. 



The birds selected for America are always the strongest, no matter what the 

 grade of song may be : sickly birds are set aside, and only the strongest and health- 

 iest selected for the trip. The men selected for the work of bringing the birds 

 over must also be in prime condition, capable of working twenty hours out of twenty- 

 four if necessary, and muscular enough to take their own parts successfully in cases 

 of attempts at stealing, which are often made. They must be prime sailors, and, above 

 all, know when to let beer alone. A man combining all of these qualities is a treasure, 

 and is always sure of a permanent position. One man takes charge of five large 

 crates : these crates vary some in size ; the usual one has thirty rows of small cages, 

 each row containing seven, which makes two hundred and ten cages of birds to a crate. 

 When sent to America, Fritz is supplied with five hurricane-deckers. thirty-three- 

 row boxes, and a large package also, which altogether make about fourteen hundred 

 cages to feed, clean, and water every day. Let the young lady pause and ponder, 

 who grumbles because she has the huge task of feeding one Dickie every morning. 



The birds are shipped, either by the way of Bremen, or Hamburg, or London. 

 When all is ready, Fritz takes leave of his family, and starts by train for Bremer- 

 hafen, the nearest seaport, which is about twelve hours distant from the city of 

 Hanover, the centre of the bird-region. 



He always has a man detailed to accompany him to the port, to see to the " bills 

 of lading," to assist in feeding on the day of sailing, and help stow away the cases. 

 seeds, and utensils atxwrd ship. The trip to the port is made in the night-time in a 

 fourth-class car, a car that is not encumbered by seats of any kind, and one is 



