386 . THE ZOOLOGIST. 



is generally considered to be the best in quality. The down is very valuable, 

 and fetches from 15s. to 80s. a pound. The three takes of down vary 

 considerably in quality, the first being superior to the second, and the 

 second to the third. The birds themselves, apart from their down-giving 

 capacities, are of little value. The down taken from a dead Eider is 

 valueless, as it has lost all its marvellous elasticity." 



Canary-breeding in Germany. — Canary-breeding in Germany has, 

 from the commencement, been chiefly a home industry of poor people. 

 The principal seat of the industry was formerly the Hartz Mountains, 

 where the poor mountaineers, engaged chiefly in the timber and mining 

 industries, were in great need. Almost every family then had in the 

 sitting-room, bedroom, or garret, a breeding-place for their birds. In 

 the summer, the food necessary for the birds was easily obtained, and 

 before the winter came the dealer had purchased them. After the Hartz 

 Mountains became more frequented by visitors desirous of benefiting by 

 the pure Hartz air, the poverty of the mountaineers was diminished, and 

 the Canary industry fell off more and more. At present only fine singers 

 are bred in the Hartz, and for these the dealer must pay a high price. The 

 industry was then transferred to Eichsfelde, in the province of Hanover, 

 where there are many very poor weavers. Nearly all these are now engaged 

 in breeding the cheaper varieties of Canaries. The industry exists also in 

 the poorer districts of Hesse, in the great Luneburg Moor, in parts of 

 Westphalia, and among the Sudetic Mountains (Erzgebirge) in Saxony. In 

 the fruitful districts of the province of Hanover, where there is not so much 

 suffering, the business is not carried on so extensively. In recent years 

 large numbers of birds have been bred in the cities, chiefly as a pastime. 

 The extent of the Canary-breeding industry is shown by the fact that about 

 250,000 Canaries are bred every year in Germany. Among the foreign 

 markets, the first is the United States, which takes, in round numbers, 

 100,000 birds annually. Next in importance is the English market, which 

 takes about 50,000 per annum. Then come Brazil, Chile, the Argentine 

 Republic, and Australia. To these countries salesmen are sent with 

 Canaries every year. The remaining birds, especially the finer Hartz 

 Mountain birds, are sold in Germany, where more value is attached to 

 fineness of song, and where higher prices can be obtained than anywhere 

 else. The average price for ordinary Canaries is from three to four marks 

 for males. Hence the Canary industry adds about 1,000,000 marks per 

 annum to the national wealth of Germany, and this amount goes chiefly 

 into the hands of the poorest class. The growth of the industry is said to 

 ho due to two causes — (1) the German bird-dealers have already been very 

 enterprising; and (2) the Canaries bred in Germany are said to sing better 

 than any others. About two-thirds of the Canaries exported annually from 

 Germany to the United States are imported by a German resident of New 



