HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
Hamlin's Jfanagm* JKaga;ittf. 
Published on the 15th of each month. 
Editorial and Business Office (pro tem) : — 
221, ST. GEORGE'S STREET, 
LONDON, E. 
Telephone: Avenue 6341. 
Telegrams: "Hamlyn, London Docks, London." 
Advertisement Rates, very reasonable, on appli- 
cation. 
The Editor will be glad to receive for publication 
articles and all interesting photos, the imports and 
exports of all stock, and foreign adventures with 
all wild stock. The subscription is 10/- per ann. , 
or 1/- each copy, post free, which will be sent 
under cover. The success of the Magazine depends 
entirely on the support given by the general 
public. Kindly fill up and return the enclosed slip. 
cautious movements we drove them towards No. 
12, and to our unbounded pleasure the male and 
the youngster entered the cage. The female, with 
the usual female perverseness, jumped through the 
window and escaped into the Portuguese Ceme- 
tery, where she was caught later in the day. Such 
was the first and last escapade in connection with 
Brooke's Great Monkey Show. After leaving the 
People's Palace, the collection of monkeys was 
sold piecemeal, and the largest collection of mon- 
keys remains a thing of the past. 
During the last ten years the trade in monkeys 
has been enormous. It is nothing for three Con- 
tinental dealers to receive during a season of three 
months 5,000 monkeys each. These are, of course, 
of the ordinary Indian variety, all coming from 
Calcutta. 
WILD BEAST FLOTATIONS. 
JOINT STOCK RISKS IN THE JUNGLE. 
We have been called on from time to time to 
deal with a large variety of different undertakings 
in which the public have been invited to put money 
but so far a venture for coralling the wild animal 
trade has not come our way. Nor in truth has it 
yet arrived, but it threatens to make its appear- 
ance, judging by a communication addressed to us 
by Mr. John D. Hamlyn, the naturalist, of 221, 
St. George's Street, E. We have made enquiries, 
but cannot learn anything definite of any syndicate 
to embark on this venture, though the penning up 
of Germany and the probable commandeering of 
Carl Hagenbach's menageries for commissariat 
purposes are held to supply an exceptionally 
favourable opportunity. The rumour apparently 
originated in the States. We do not imagine 
ourselves at all qualified to discuss a wild beast 
prospectus, and in the hope that it may stave off 
the appearance of such a fearsome document- 
much as we desire to encourage legitimate enter- 
prise in these times — we gladly avail ourselves 
of some very pertinent comments which Mr. Ham- 
lyn has made in anticipation of such a flotation. 
He says : — 
I am quite unaware of any proposed organised 
concern to deal in animals in this country. For 
any one trading amateur, or even a dozen 
amateurs, to attempt such an undertaking would 
be ridiculous. Dealers in wild animals are born, 
they are not brought about by frivolous costly 
expeditions for rare birds. I have no hesitation 
in stating that none of these collecting tours 
have ever been a financial success, and these so 
far have only touched bird. I well remember 
some years ago the proprietors of an American 
circus giving a commission to a big game hunter 
in East Africa. The hunter certainly obtained 
the animals out there; anyone with money and 
even without brains can do so. But could he 
bring them home and down to the coast? The 
majority of the animals died, and the fact 
remains that only the dealers can box and travel 
the animals down to the coast, bringing them 
home at a reasonable freight. This collector 
even paid ,£25 freight on one leopard, actual 
value about £15, and when the consignment 
reached London from East Africa I was solicited 
to move them on to the American steamer, 
which I declined to do. I strongly advise all 
intending investors to have nothing to do with 
such a project. 
Clearly Mr. Hamlyn knows how to read a wild 
beast prospectus even without seeing it, and he 
warns investors in true professional style. We 
hope they will bear the opinion of so famous an 
expert in mind should occasion really arise. 
WILD ANIMALS AND THE WAR. 
Among the industries which lament having been 
hit by the present conflict in Europe, it would 
obviously not be fair to overlook the wild animal 
trade. Mr. John D. Hamlyn, the well-known 
naturalist of the East End, in his monthly circular 
states that imports have been entirely cut off and 
that there is a scarcity of monkeys and small birds. 
We can well believe it. Hence Mr. Hamlyn's 
circular is rather bare of professional particulars. 
But he bravely announces that he is carrying on 
business as usual and that he proposes to devote 
the ample space for the time being at his disposal 
in his circular to general articles of interest to 
lovers of natural history. As these articles are in 
the nature of autobiographical narratives, they 
certainly should be entertaining, and if the first 
contribution is any criterion they undoubtedly will 
be. Mr. Hamlyn also promises a history of the 
