CAGE-BIRD TRAFFIC OF THE UNITED STATES. 175 



Romans, who kept them in cages of tortoise-shell and ivory with silver 

 wires, and often paid more for one than for a slave. 



The earliest knowledge we have of the keeping of West African 

 parrots as pets in Europe dates back to 1455, when Senegal parrots 

 were first introduced. American parrots owe their introduction into 

 the Old World to Columbus, who carried a few back with him on his 

 return from his first voyage to America. They were among the 

 objects of interest when he made his formal entry into Seville on 

 March 31, 1493. Five years later the Portuguese circumnavigated 

 the Cape of Good Hope, subjugated a part of India, and reintroduced 

 the Indian parrots into Europe. 



The most popular parrots are the little green Australian parrakeets, 

 variously known as shell or grass parrakeets, budgerigars, or love 

 birds. These birds, familiar on the city streets in the capacity of 

 fortune-tellers and performers of tricks, are retailed in this country 

 at $4 or $5 a pair. They are among the easiest of all foreign birds to 

 breed and are raised in large numbers in Europe, from which source 

 come many of the birds brought to the United States. In the year 

 ending June 30, 1906, we imported 5,387 to supply the demand, includ- 

 ing a few of a yellow variety produced bj' the breeders of Belgium 

 and France. Shell parrakeets are easilj^ transported from Australia, 

 owing to their abilitj' to exist for long periods without water, and 

 have frequently been carried to Europe in sailing vessels, making a 

 three or four months' voyage, without being supplied with water. 



Cuban parrots have recently risen in favor and several thousand 

 were needed to meet the year's demand. These medium-Sized green, 

 red, and blue birds with whitish crowns make fairly good talkers, and 

 sell at wholesale for |24 to $27 a dozen. 



Amazons from Mexico and Central and South America, which aver- 

 age $6 apiece at wholesale, are favorites among the larger parrots. 

 They are known as blue-fronted, red-fronted, yellow heads, double- 

 yellow heads, etc., according to the markings of the head. The blue- 

 fronted amazons seem to be preferred in Europe; but the double- 

 yellow heads make the best talkers, and when well trained command 

 prices ranging as high as several hundred dollars apiece. 



The African gray parrots are probably unrivaled in ability to repro- 

 duce human speech, and have been popular pets in Europe since the 

 Middle Ages. Unfortunately they do not stand transfer very well 

 and the great majority of the few imported die soon after arrival. 



The larger parrots have not yet learned to talk when they arrive, 

 and, as a rule, are disposed of at once to retailers. By these they are 

 often taught by means of specially constructed graphophones, which 

 automatically repeat, for hours at a time, selected words, phrases, or 

 songs. 



