CAGE-BIRD TEAFFIC OF THE UNITED STATES. l79 



in England, where they have been bred a number of times. The main 

 reason for their unusual mortality seems to be improper treatment. 

 Because they come from the warm climate of Australia, they are 

 usually kept where they have plenty of sunlight. As a matter of fact, 

 however, as recently pointed out by a writer in "Bird Notes," they 

 inhabit dense scrub, and in their natural habitat avoid the direct raj-s 

 of the sun. To place them in a small cage in the sunlight is a very 

 effective method of destroying them. Lady Gould finches are attract- 

 ive in their ways as well as in appearance. They tame readily, are 

 not pugnacious with cage mates, and exhibit many individualities of 

 disposition. They have a Aery interesting little dance that sometimes 

 forms a part of their courtship." 



• BIRDS FROM SOUTH AMERICA, MEXICO, AND CUBA. 



Omitting parrots, gray cardinals are the principal cage-birds 

 imported from South America. In England these vie in favor with 

 our own cardinal, from which they differ in being gray in color, with 

 no red excepting about the head. During the last fiscal year we 

 imported 45-5, which were retailed at $3.50 each. A number of differ- 

 ent species of small birds are annuallj^ brought from Mexico and 

 Cuba, but none in important numbers except tomeguinos, known also 

 as grassquits or melodious Cuban finches and olive Cuban finches, 

 according to species. These sell for $1.50 a pair wholesale, and 665 

 entered during the year. 



BIRDS BRED IN CAPTIVITY. 



In Europe, as has been stated, great interest is manifested in breed- 

 ing cage-birds. This interest attaches to the propagation, not only of 

 rare birds, but of many species that are commonly found in aviaries. 

 There is a great difference in the ease with which birds may be bred 

 in captivity. Some, such as shell parrakeets, zebra finches, Java spar- 

 rows, strawberry finches, and our own bluebirds and indigo birds, breed 

 readily and their young can be raised without much difficulty. But 

 some of the parrots and small cage-birds refuse to mate, others will 

 not sit on their eggs, and others yet neglect their young. To breed 

 such species requires much patience and ingenuity, apd success is valued 

 accordingly. In the United States, where bii'd-fanciers are few and 

 lack association, there is not the same general interest in the breeding 

 of captive birds. Few Oriental birds other than Java sparrows and 

 but few of the small cage-birds from Africa and Australia have been 

 successfully bred in the United States. Among the more important 

 birds that have been reared in .this country are the canary, shell par- 

 rakeet, black-crested mina, all-green parrakeet, graj^ parrakeet, cocka- 

 teel, graceful I ground-dove, barred-shoulder dove, zebra finch, white 



"See a detailed account of this dance by Captain Perreau in "Bird Notes" for 

 November, 1905, Vol. IV, No. 8, p. 203. 



