on Chinese Cage Birds. 293


birds in the little and often much overcrowded cages on the fore-

well deck.


Of course in a country which supports so large a proportion

of its population in boats, bird-shop junks and sampans are not

unknown, and one may see these ungainly craft simply hung all

over with cages full of Canaries and other feathered songsters.


In addition to the volume of trade in cage birds which flows

along the coast in junks and steamers, a considerable amount also

follows the great rivers in these craft.


At the same time the variety in species seen at the coast

ports is not observable in the interior, where, in Southern China at

any rate, the great majority of cage birds are individuals of two

species —Copsyclius saularis and Zosterops simplex. In some places

various species of Larks are fairly common, and especially is this

the case with Alauda ccelivox. Doubtless native bird-catchers exist

in Far Cathay ; but it is pretty certain that in South-East China,

at any rate, the great majority of non-imported birds are taken as

nestlings, and reared either by the parents or by hand.


It is for this reason difficult to get a Chinese to show to a

European nests and eggs of Zosterops simplex, Copsychus saularis, or

Alauda ccelivox.


Bird-catchers who use clap-nets and call-birds may exist, and

have been said to do so, but the writer never actually saw them.


Trailing a net over the dried-up paddy fields after dark to

capture the so-called Rice Birds (which are really Buntings of various

species) is a common practice. The birds, however, are killed and

sold as delicacies for culinary purposes.


Snares one sees on rare occasions, but they also are to kill,

and flight-nets on mud flats for the taking of Ducks and other wild

fowl are as well known in the East as in the West.


Of all the birds one sees in captivity in Southern China,

perhaps Zosterops simplex (the little Chinese \\ hite Eye) is the most

popular. These little birds ai’e taken from their nests when almost

able to fly, and are placed in a cage not far, as a rule, from the site of

their birthplace, when the parents come to feed them.


These birds become very tame in a very short time, and are

extremely fascinating pets.



