90 GOLDEN-CROWNED CONTJRE. 
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 
