C. S. Webb—The Parrot Ban and the Future of Aviculture 203


production ” principle, with most of the birds suffering in consequence,

.and then pick out the best specimens. These can usually be obtained

very cheaply owfing to the quantity packed into each cage and the fact

that the birds have been looked after by a member of the ship’s crew

in his spare time. To purchase such birds, rather than pay a little more

for others which have been brought over under decent conditions, gives

some people intense joy—only to be compared with that of a woman at

a bargain sale, but these actions are merely making the “ cranks ”

more determined to entirely suppress the keeping of birds in captivity.

Then there are those who are only concerned with the show-bench.

A few of these are genuine aviculturists, but the majority exhibit for

financial gain only, or for the “ kick ” they get out of winning a prize.

Where many different species of foreign birds are placed together in one

class it must often be to a great extent a matter of personal opinion

which birds are deserving of the highest awards, though this does not

apply to the showing of domesticated species, where one has to keep

up to a recognized standard. The latter is a fine interesting hobby,

calling for much skill when mating up birds so as to eliminate faults.


In many cases those who show foreign birds do not even know from

which countries their birds originate, and their interests do not extend

beyond their desire to win prizes, therefore they can hardly be called

aviculturists. Showing also seems to breed a certain amount of ill-

feeling among exhibitors, for when a judge is also a dealer there are

usually nasty things said if one of his clients happens to gain a first

prize. I am not saying that these accusations are justified, but it can

hardly be called a pleasant business.


I imagine that the main objects of the Society are the studying of

the habits of foreign birds in captivity, their breeding and domestication,

and to those interested in the scientific side, the changes of plumage,

such as the eclipse plumage in certain Sunbirds, and members concerned

with these studies usually contribute interesting articles to the

Magazine to the benefit and delight of all those in search of knowledge.


Regarding the importation of birds in vast quantities, dealers who

have specialized in this have done a great amount of harm to the trade

in general, as well as to aviculture, on account of the disgusting way

in which the birds are usually imported. They have also been the direct



