S. Porter—Experiences of an Amateur Importer of Foreign Birds 157


you’ve finished with it Fortunately ones like that are not often

encountered.


Occasionally enthusiasm has overrun discretion and I have found

myself on board with dozens of huge crates and cases full of birds.

The climax was when I left Singapore with over 200 birds, mostly

large ones. I had to recruit a Chinese servant from the crew and even

then I was working from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. with only time off for meals.

Even then I had a very happy voyage, but it cured me of ever bringing

large consignments of birds over again. For one thing I hadn’t the

accommodation and I had to sell some of the birds, a thing I hate doing.

Now I only bring, say, a dozen pairs of birds, which I know I can

accommodate and which only take a couple of hours a day to look

after on the ship.


Quite recently, when in Australia, I had the utmost difficulty in

obtaining permission to take even the commonest birds out of the

country, some of the officials being rude and rather discourteous.

Had I been a foreigner armed with a letter from an obscure trading

Continental “ Zoo ” I should doubtless have been met with open arms

and allowed to depart with innumerable birds. However, the

authorities in New South Wales allowed me to take away a Lemon-

crested Cockatoo, four Waxbills, and a pair of Red-rumps, my

application for other birds being ignored. Through the indefatigable

efforts of Mr. Turner, the leading bird dealer in Sydney, I was able,

at the very last moment, to get permission from the Queensland

authorities to take away amongst others, Regent Birds, Cat Birds,

Satin Bower Birds, etc. Before the ship sailed an official who was in

charge during the absence of the ornithologist from the Museum, and

who advises the authorities in New South Wales regarding the export

of birds, came down to see that I was only taking my proper quota of

one Cockatoo and four Waxbills and the pair of Red-rumps. When

we discovered him examining the other birds, he rather reminded

me of a constable who had just come across a coiner’s den ! Armed

with a pencil, note-book, and assistant he was taking down all

particulars, but when we showed the permit—well ! Later, he

got into such a rage that I think half the ship must have heard him

shouting. On the same ship the only place allotted for my birds was



