320



Correspondence.



market, under scientific supervision, might be possible, the capture of young and

healthy birds restricted and properly carried out. It would probably be a boon

to the honest dealer and ensure the Acquisition of healthy birds, besides putting

an end to this senseless traffic. It would be a benefit all round : to the avicul-

turist, the dealer, and the birds.


In Le Chenil, I see that the deplorable condition of affairs with regard to

the indiscriminate capture and dealing, is contradicted as “ une generalisation

nullement justifiee,” and that “ les oiseaux s’accomodent fortbiendela captivite

pouron qu ’ils y trouvent les soins necessaires.”


As an aviculturist, I fully endorse this last statement. Birds, given

proper conditions and in kind hands, get to look upon their cages as home. But

it is the absence of the “ soins necessaires ” that constrains me to call atten¬

tion to and deplore it! The dealers’ shops in France appear to be properly looked

after, and the fact “ qu ’on etablisse une inspection sanitaire pour les cages

d’oiseaux ” proves how much ahead of us the French are in such matters. I

have never entered a French bird-dealer’s shop, but I have visited many in

Germany, and have always been struck by the superiority of them to so many in

England. The dealers are intelligent men and fond of their birds, and the cages

are roomy and kept clean. Moreover, there do not appear to be, so far as I can

judge, such thousands as there are in the London shops, and there is more

variety. Such enormous numbers of little foreign and tropical birds are there

in the latter — common enough, poor little things !—that dealers advertise them

as “the usual rubbish,” and one can imagine their fate.


Le Clienil goes on to say “ la meilleure epreuve qu ’ils n’y souffrent pas,

c’est qu’ils chantent.” . . . “ et que leur plumage peut y etre aussi brillant

et soigne qu’ a l’etat fibre.”


As to a bird singing in a cage, its song is surely in great measure—whether

caged or free—a physical necessity for its lungs and throat, not solely an ebulli¬

tion of joy. The poor Larks, jumping up and down unceasingly in their vain

efforts to rise and soar, shriek with song. Is their’s an indication of joy and

content ? Is any bird’s melody poured forth in a tiny cage, when its eyes

have been put out with hot wires to make it sing better, “ une epreuve qu ’ils n ’y

souffrent pas ?” * And as to the plumage, if this is as brilliant and well cared for

as in the birds’ wild state, why do we not oftener see it in the dealers’ shops?

The most common sight is that of once beautiful birds huddled up, shivering

with fever, sick and miserable, and we are told “ he’s a bit out of plumage now,

the gas, you see ; but he’ll be all right once he’s out of the shop.” Even birds

in fair health are too often ragged and dirty in the shops. How is each one to

bathe in clean water ?


When we reflect that each bird is in itself a miracle of beauty and in¬

telligence, for very love of Science we should no longer remain callous to the

existing state of things. KATHARINE CURREY.



* This is still done in Italy, but it is against the law of that land.—ED.



