The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-16
The Feathered Population of the
Metropolis.
Curious Facts and Figures
Concerning Them.
4 sPRING-T1Mn ARTICLE.


rich In their plumage as their Southern brethren
the birds Of Northern America are numerous and
varied while the city OF New York comprises
within Its limit, In Its public and private collec
tons, its parks and avarles large and curious
sortment OF choice specimens Of what the school
boys compositions designate 1.-THE feathered
crestion.n
THE BIRDS OF OUR PARKS.
OF late years the parks OF the metropolis have
been rendered additionally attractive BY the pres
ence or multltudes Of sparrows, which have made
their homes there and been tenderly cared for by
our city authorities As Tor Central Park. Its col.
lection OF BIRDS native and foreign, Is one of the
finest IN the country All varieties OF birds, from
swallow to an eagle, oil varieties of tropical BIRDS
are represented all species OF parrots, parroquets
DC, &C. But the New York taste for and apprecia-
ton OF birds is shown most conspcuously In the
number Of kinds and birds possessed by its private
citizens
PIGEON MUSEUMS.
Pigeons have always been familiar birds to New
Workers, and Of late years there has been great
demand for fancy" pigeons. The "fancyn most
In demand among our metropolitan pigeon con-
nosseurs at present 10 the variety known as
ssbutton head almond tumblers.n These are small
birds, with peculiar little heads, shaped like ''but
tons, (" and are capital and constant "tumblersn
A pair Of these birds, imported, has been known
to cost twenty-six pounds sterling
The finest collection OF these birds in New York.
and probably in America Is owned by Mr.. Purvis
No other pigeon fancier can pretend to equal this
assortment in the line Of button head tumblers.
The value OF the birds In his collection exceeds
ct moderate estimate, $4,000.
Carrier pigeons have lately become not uncom.
mon in New York. Some varieties are valued at
$500 pair, and for few even higher sum has
been offered and refused.
The variety called "pouters" are likewise at
present In considerable demand. They cost from
$40 pair to ten times that sum.
Several New Workers have superb private col
lections Of 'Iancy pigeons.n Mr.. Herman Collal
has, perhaps, the largest miscellaneous collection
in tnts country. 1t embraces all leading varieties
and is estimated as worth SO. 900. Mr.. Speis has
. collection valued at $4,000, very choice. MIR.
speis has visited Europe several times to procure
choice birds.
1t Is calculated that there are at least dozen
private collections Of pigeons In this city besides
those already mentioned. worth over 81, 600 each,
some ranging over 81, 900.
Then there are the minor varieties of fancy
ptgeons:-Fan tails, popular kind; rune necks or
Jacobtns, much admired; magpies, swallow
pigeons, Belni tumblers, nigh. flyers, &C., all Of
which have their respective New York admirers
Then there are Q peculiarly named set, called
archangels, nuns, Quakers, priests, runts, all Of
which are moro or less in demand.
Altogether there are some fifty or sixty dinsrent
varieties Of pigeons, known to New Workers.
GAME FOWL ON THE DECLINE.
A. Tor game cocks, New York, though formerly
noted tor its breeds, has OF late years deterorated
In the production Of valuable contestants Tor the
honors Of tho pit. The present season has been an
especially unfortunate one for the breeders OF
game.sowL The hostility or Mr.. Bergh and
his associates to this class Of SPORT and
the sa spas too SSss and
line Of business very backward Many va valuable
Ramc birds have died this year already. and those
house. The dealers bitterly complain OF This state
oil affairs, ana the sports" are disheartened. ut
the HERALD representative, land If this state OF
Things keeps up much longer we shall have to give
Still. some line specimens OF the favorite game
FOWL, the Irish gray. are to be seen IN the city.
In good condition, also a hen setting on twelve
eggs and another men setting on fifteen eggs, and
ss s Tou 1ss nUs % e fna @ he
York are imported from Great Britain and ireland,
yet numerous varieties are native to New York
and bred mere alone. The "Genet Nigger'' is o
irst class lighting stock, famous Tor its "staying'
vorite in the metropolis and It's vicinity may be
Included the Cockroach, Jersey variety, the
ls Woo fowl the Censor breed, &c. It
our metropolitan sports to "cross the briny'
merely sI,hyy,o 70 procure prime game FOWL John
to Ireland just to procure one game hen and
one game cock-and lost his money at that, as
his man did not get the BIRDS
THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR TAME FOWLS.
But II the demand for game FOWL has declined in
this city the taste Tor fancy fowls OF other and
mider sorts has notably increased. More fowl
have been raised and sold in and about the
metropolis during the last i've years than during
than appears on Its surface; 1t means that more
than usual proportion OF those who make money
an Sy is
retreat, where they can get decent homes at
moderate rate, and where they can flowers and
fowl and taste OF other rural delights. One large
dealer states that his trade IN fowls has tripled
WITHIN the last seven years. and that last year he
the varieties Of fancy fowl most affected by the
ruruy disposed New Yorker are the black
These averase ia price rom SIS head upwards
There are many OF our New York merchants and
professional men who have invested IRON $500 to
$4,000 In their stock oil fancy fowls.
The indications thus far are that spite OF the I'M
favorable condition OF our finances and the stu
demand for fowl will be, in the vicinity Or New
pae 10 10 ne
SINGING BIRDs-cANARIEs
But great and greatly increasing as IL the de.
N. v or aomes.,c anu iSucy iv" .no @ ~, ~
creases more remarkably. There Is no city IN
America IN which song birds are more numerous
or more thoroughly and pecuniarily appreciated
than the metropolis. The rarer and better 'song.
sters or the grove, find ready buyers among our
wealthy classes. Men like the late James Fisk, Jr.,
however reckless among their fellow men. seem
10 nave "a soft spot' near their hearts for song
pirds. ~. Fisk's fondness for canarles was well
scrupuious SPECTATORS ION the street, devote
good deal OF their leisure and perhaps the greatest
porton OF tnelr affection to their collections OF
song DlI0s Men love those musical and innocent
creatures quite as well as women do. In fact deal
ers say that they would rather deal with male buy.
ers than female
Our poorer classes our tenement house, and
notably our German nan peasant and emigrant popu.
these this iondness almost assumed the propor.
tons q a,. mania nal A man who works about the
docks daily ior what nc can get has vet refused
woman who had no money to buy bread FOR her
children had yet money enough to buy a canary OF