PIGEONS AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 71 



SHIPPING ON APPROVAL. 



OFTEX an order comes in asking that birds be sent on 

 approval. I do not believe in this at all, for no two 

 men always agree on types of birds. 

 I might have a pair of fans, that I might consider lirst class 

 in every respect, but they might not suit some other man. 



The customer may be absolutely fair and honest, and may 

 write "if the birds don't suit me I will pay expenses of tran- 

 sit both ways, so that you may be out nothing. If they suit 

 I will willingly send you the price asked". 



Now let us take a case. I get an order from John Smith of 

 Denver, Col., for a pair of birds of a certain type. In other 

 words the cock must have certain points, and the hen certain 

 other points. 



It happens that I do not have a pair already mated, just as 

 Mr. Smith likes them ; but I want to suit him so I break two 

 pairs that are on eggs, taking the cock of one and the hen of 

 the other. (In my own case I could save the eggs by trans- 

 ferring them under two pairs of Swallows ; but some other 

 breeder might not be so well prepared.) 



Well, say I lose two jiairs of eggs, naturally equivalent to 

 two pairs of young birds. 1 ship this pair to Mr. Smith, and 

 he does not like them, and he returns them. So far so good ; 

 but suppose they never reach him through some accident on 

 the railroads. Suppose one bird smothers before reaching 

 him. Suppose they reach him all right, and are started 

 home too soon, and one of them dies after reaching home 

 or both are sick and useless, or, suppose the train is wrecked 

 and they never get home at all, where do I stand? Would Mr- 

 Smith be willing to pay for his experiment'.' It is either 

 trouble with Mr. Smith or with the express company or both. 



