J. E. Sweetnam—The Evils of Mass Importation



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On all other points we are, I believe, invulnerable, and it is the

greater pity we should thus be left open to attack by those “ dear good

people ”, whose zeal is often so much greater than their knowledge.

To “ suffer fools gladly ” is never easy, especially when they speak as

though they themselves were the only people in the world with any

solicitude for the welfare of birds and beasts, but that difficulty is

increased when, all the while, one has an uneasy feeling that there is

“ some method in their madness


Now for the suggestions—which I am well aware are open to

criticism and which, indeed, are put forward with that hope and

expectation :—


(1) More concentration of the building-up of strains of aviary-bred

foreign birds, so as to be less dependent on importation. A good deal

has already been done in this direction with certain species such as

Zebra, Parrot, and Gouldian Finches. As instanced in the case of

Cockatiels and other Parrot-like birds, the practical difficulty lies in

securing fresh blood, and so avoiding the evils of inter-breeding, but

it should not require much organization to overcome this difficulty

by arranging exchanges between members.


Apart from the rather haphazard method of advertising in the

Magazine we have no machinery for the exchange of species. In my

opinion we need a list of members who specialize in any particular

species, and from whom other breeders could, when necessary, secure

a change of blood. For instance, I am at present building up a strain

of aviary-bred R.H. Parrot Finches, but I have no means of knowing

what other members of the Society are doing likewise.


(2) The compilation and distribution amongst members of a list

of dealers and importers who are known to import their birds under

proper conditions, so that our members could secure their birds through

them with a clear conscience.


(3) I put this last, as the most controversial of all: The formation

of a committee of members (or a sub-committee of the Council) to

consider the possibility of arranging for direct importation for the

benefit of all members who desire to avail themselves of it. We may

not be a very large Society, but I venture to suggest that we are

sufficiently large and responsible to be in a position to secure consign-



