HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
11 
" I am sorry you were out when I called 
on Wednesday. I heard from your Niece that 
you had a difficulty in obtaining foreign birds. 
Thinking you might like to purchase some, 
I am sending you on a price list of a well- 
known firm who are offering some for sale 
(foreign birds seem very cheap). Being war- 
time, I am not a buyer, therefore I thought 
the enclosed might be of use to you." 
On reading the above letter I very anxiously 
read through the price list with a view of dis- 
covering the bargains therein. 
Judge of my surprise to find that the res- 
pected Amateur must have wrote in a sarcastic 
vein, for the prices were such that even in my 
forty years experience I have never known such 
prices asked before. 
But then these are not normal times. We 
are at War. 
Looking down the list, I find Macaws are up 
to fifteen guineas and then only the three ordinary 
varieties. Cockatoos, again ordinary varieties, 
from six to ten guineas each. I often wonder 
why the higher priced stock is quoted in guineas. 
I may say in passing I have never quoted guineas 
in my life. Pounds are quite good enough for 
me. 
We then come to Parrots. Of course, a real 
good African Grey Parrot, talking, is always worth 
from ten to fifteen pounds, and even more. I have 
sold Grey Parrots at ^,25 each and, in my opinion, 
they were worth considerably more. One Grey in 
particular must have spent some time in a military 
household, for periodically throughout the day he 
would stand erect on its perch, expanding its 
wings to the fullest extent, shrieking, "I'm a 
soldier, I'm a soldier, and I don't care a damn !" 
He would then (I believe it must have been of the 
male sex) insinuate that the pretty housemaid Was 
flirting with the butler, and would inform the 
household that "Mac had just kissed Mary." 
That enterprising intelligent bird only came into 
my hands through the death of the Squire. It 
was sold to a good home, and I sincerely trust 
it still amuses its new owner with its originalities. 
Yes, that soldier parrot was a sport ! 
Another Parrot was an Amazon Yellow-head 
who sang "Pop goes the Weasle," and after 
going through two verses most delightfully, would 
say, "And now give me a little bit off the top." 
This also was a remarkable bird, and was sold 
to a lady at Cambridge. It created vast amuse- 
ment going down to Cambridge from Liverpool 
Street. 
To return to the list I now find Parrakeets, 
again the ordinary varieties, three guineas to 
seven guineas. To ask six guineas for a Blossom- 
head is to my judgment an unheard of price; still 
if there are English Amateurs to pav such n 
price, the Trade ought to be delighted. Just 
before the War I sold one hundred Blossom or 
Plumheads at ten shillings each, and considered 
that a very fair price. 
To come to Lovebirds at four and five guineas 
a pair is nothing to be surprised at after seven 
guineas for a pair of Redrumps. 
The miscellaneous birds and finches also run 
to guineas. 
A Marmozet Monkey for seven guineas, Java 
or Jew Monkeys six guineas (please note, always 
guineas) concludes one of the finest and highest 
priced lists ever shewn to me. 
I have never found such buyers, and I cer- 
tainly have never asked such prices. Still I hear- 
tily congratulate this firm on the enterprise shewn 
by their astute Manager since the inception of 
the Zoo Section to their establishment. 
Since writing the above, I have received their 
price list from two other clients, both asking me 
to draw attention to the prices charged. It is 
simply a question of supply and demand. The 
importation of birds, etc., are stopped. The sup- 
ply, naturally, is curtailed, consequently prices 
rule high. 
In conclusion, I shall always quote pounds, 
not guineas, and continue to carry on business on 
the same lines as I have done during the past 
forty years. 
NETTLES AND CHICKEN DIARRHCEA. 
By P. Henri Martin. 
(Translated from " La Revue Agricole" for 
November 15th by F. Finn.) 
A little known source of the chicken diarr- 
hoea which sometimes causes so much loss among 
our flourishing broods is connected with an affec- 
tion of the ovary of the laying hen, from which it 
descends. 
In fact it is in the hen's diseased ovary that 
is found the bacterium pullorum which causes the 
serious disease in the chick, whose excreta con- 
tain the same microbe. 
Neither is this the only case in which the 
chicken falls a victim to microbial infection trans- 
mitted by the egg. Many of the deaths in the 
shell which considerably reduce the output of our 
sittings have as their cause — especially those 
which take place during the first twelve days of 
incubation — the development within the egg of 
ycrms it contained. 
