I'IGEOXS AXD ALL ABOITT TriE>L 40 



PRICES OF BIRDS. 



FOR me to attempt to give quotations on |iij;(;ons in tliis 

 country at present, would be impossible. 

 Tliere is not nor can there be any uniform rate; no 

 market quotations, so to s)ieak. A good pi.neou is wortli wliat- 

 ever it will bring. 



To show how views vary, it is only necessary to look over 

 a catalogue of one of our big shows Looking down the list 

 and noting the selling price afifixed to each l)ird, one may 

 note half a dozen valued at $100 each, and from that on 

 down to $2-5. and some to a modest .filO. Yet often when 

 the official list of awards comes out, it will show that the $10 

 bird got lirst prize, the $2J. birds second, third aud fourth, 

 while the $100. birds did not get a place. Sometimes, and 

 very often, a breedei- becomes overstocked, and linds that he 

 must either sell a lot, or give them away, as he cannot use a 

 crowded breeding loft, and has no other place in which to 

 put them in such cases. I have seen Tumblers easily worth 

 $10. each, go for a, dollar each, aud pairs of Jacobins,Pouters 

 Fans, etc. go for $5. per pair, that are well worth $10. to $1.5. 



Right here is the benefit of a good reputation. Wlien the 

 old l)reeders see by an ad. that Mr. So aud So is selling off a 

 lot of surplus birds, they do not hesitate t(j buy, for they 

 know that with such stock as he keeps he could not breed 

 a really bad bird. Someiimcf, he becomes desperate, and 

 sends off a lot to a dealer' and it is then and then only that 

 the latter has good birds. Bui the trouble is that he does 

 not know the best ones, as the breeder i-arely takes the 

 trouble to send a list of leg-band numbers. 



Reverting to prices however, as connected with birds order- 

 ed especially for good lofts, I would say, don't buy cheap 

 birds. If a fancier writes you " I can sell you such and such 



