PURCHASE. 



53 



can, by going there in the beginning of October, that is, before 

 the dealers have fetched the birds away, obtain single good 

 songsters at reasonable prices, provided that they be efficient 

 connoisseurs ; but, if such is not the case, they run the risk, 

 even in the best establishments, of bringing home very 

 mediocre birds, for such are to be found even there, chiefly 

 owing, in my opinion, to the protractedsittinginfleclging-cages. 

 Not every bird can endure so lively a company ; the distur- 

 bance is too great, and the inducement to imitate one or 

 even several defects of another songster, is greater still ; 

 were each bird seated in a small separate cage, a degenerate 

 songster could be more easily detected, and removed in time. 

 A written order will also procure birds from some breeders ; 

 the prices charged by the latter for good birds are sometimes 

 anything but low. 



The prices of the young canaries vary, in the autumn, ac- 

 cording to the district, and also to the fact whether the birds 

 are bought singly or in great numbers. They fluctuate 

 from Is. to 3s. per head ; birds of finer breeds will fetch from 

 6s to 10s. each ; females cost only from 6d. to Is. ; but in 

 the winter, when the dealers have taken the birds away, the 

 prices rise from 3s to 4s. for an ordinary male, and Is. 6d. 

 to 2s. for a female bird. Males of the finer breeds, especially 

 of the best Hartz birds, as well as the handsomest, evenly 

 marked colour-birds, will then fetch from <£1 10s.; and in 

 special cases as much as £2 5s. to £3 15s., even £i and 

 more. Scarcely 10 years ago, fairly good birds could be 

 obtained at the Hartz for 10s. to 15s., and the very best for 

 £2, i.e., or, at the utmost, for £i a piece. Dutch birds 

 are mostly sold in pairs, according to their quality, for 

 15s. to 30s. the couple. The prices of the English 

 colour-canaries are indicated elsewhere, where they are also 

 described. 



The sending of individual songsters is now effected in a 



