90 GOLDEN-CROWNED OONUBE. 



customer on the part of the dealer, but simply because the latter knew 

 no better. 



It is self-evident that dealers and amateurs must look upon birds 

 from a very different point of view: the former regard them as so 

 much merchandise merely, in most cases, and know little or nothing 

 of their habits beyond what is current in the "trade", viewing them 

 from a commercial aspect chiefly, and have little acquaintance with 

 and care less about their habits and requirements than is necessary 

 to maintain them in life, and if possible in health while in their pos- 

 session — afterwards? Ma foi, apres moi le deluge, as a Frenchman 

 would say; and we have known of instances in which wrong directions 

 as to treatment were given to customers, so as to ensure the death 

 of the birds, "for the good of trade", within a short time of their 

 purchase by an inexperienced amateur. 



However reprehensible such tactics may appear, and undoubtedly 

 are, there is no doubt that they are very frequently had recourse to 

 in the trade; and in fact, in the earlier days of our bird-keeping, we 

 have ourselves been deceived in the manner we have described. In 

 experience lies the safety of the connoisseur against such paltry de- 

 ception, and he must expect to pay for it, in this connection, as well 

 as in every other. There are respectable and conscientious dealers, it 

 is true, who would scorn to deceive the unwary, and to men of 

 established reputation, with a good character to maintain, we would 

 counsel our readers to repair when about to purchase birds, but there 

 are others who might be much more correctly described as the reverse 

 of honest and fair-dealing. 



But even the most upright of dealers is not, necessarily, an authority 

 upon bird-matters, generally the very reverse; he has a certain know- 

 ledge of his business, it is true, but then his business is to get rid 

 of his goods as quickly as he can at the least risk of loss to himself; 

 and the highest profit he can command; but of birds we never met 

 with a dealer that had any scientific knowledge whatever: the Latin 

 names he might know by rote in some instances, and repeat glibly 

 enough, more or less correctly; but there his knowledge ended, and 

 when he assumed no more, no harm was done: but when such an 

 individual pretends to know all about everything concerning birds, he 

 can be made the subject of much quiet amusement to the naturalist 

 who interviews him. 



We remember once going into the shop of a well-known dealer to 

 inquire for some Saffron Finches, of which we were then in need for 

 the purpose of trying some experiments in the way of mule breeding, 

 and asking him if he had any in stock. Yes, he had a few; what 



