Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-15
MOCKING BIRDS.
The WarbIers as an Article Of Trade
In Nashville.
Interesting Notes About the Dealers
and their Business.

- . 60
When the Federal TROOPS occupied Nash
vile during the war, they contracted quite
a rage for knocking birds and b0usht up all
the sohgsters they could TO send back to
their homes in the far North. Il was then
That that species Of the feathered kingdom
was fairly introduced into traffic like an
rarticle Of country produce; and branch Of
trade was organized hefe, which has been
regularly kept up ever since. Some Of our
citizens who were present in the city, Occa-
sionally tell it as Joke on the sol
dieFs that they bought all kinds Of
voting birds indiscriminately, thinking
they were mocking birds. This weakness
became notorious and dealers did not hesi-
tate TO bring the young of the cat-bird,
thrush, and even the jay, to the city and
sell them upon the representation that q
brilliant musical career lay before them.
The highest price then paid for single
well-uained mocking bird, as fer as we
have ever heard, was $500 given by On Of
ilcer of the Federal army for magnificent
singer. Good singers now Sometimes
bring fancy prices from Northern tourists.
We understand that a traveller stopping at
the Maxwell Ho Sc paid 800 for one not
longer than a few weeks ago. The BARRIERS
there make a good thing of the trade from
year to year; they keep fine sOngster in
the house for the purpose of fascinating
guests and inducing them TO buy.
IL is not strange that the mocking bird
should be either so highly esteemed at the
North OF so little Thought Of in the South.
His song is not surpassed by any other
species of bird in the world, and his OILY
rival is the nightingale; indeed, be is to
America what the nightingale is TO Europe.
But the Southern States are his home, and
his familiarity to the Southern people wears
of their appreciation, and they know not
what a peerless sonGsteT they have carOling
in every grove aud bower. This is attested
by the fact that our boys make little dis
elimination in favor of the mOcking bird
when throwing rocks.
Our object is to give some notes that
may be of interest concerning the mock
ing bird traffic between Nashville and the
North. Mr.. Henry Wilson, a Church
street Tailor, has recently gone into the
business to a limited extent. He took a
lot of birds TO Chicago not long since, but
that trip did not pay, because as heiatlirms,
a considerable number were stolen from
him. He is now raising lot of about 80,
which he expects TO ship to st. Louis.
The best established dealer in
Nashville is Richmond Pugsley, q
cOlored man, keeping on Front
street near the Jail. A reporter stopped III
at his place the other day and had a talk
with him about as follows. He was en-
gagged in the manufacture of cage at the
time, while numerous young birds were
making perfect din Of squeaking in the
room:
ePugsley, how long have you been in
the bird businesS?7 said the reporter.
81 have been buying, raising and selling
birds about % or 80 Yeas, sir, and have
been so occupied for about 20 years within
a stones cast of this very place was the
reply.
In answer TO other questions, suggesting
themselves, Pugsley gave the following &C
count of his business: 81 sell, l suppose,
$50 birds year on an, average, Chicago
and Mansfield, o., being the places Imam
ly ship to. buy the young birds here at
3 cents to so cents and rarely Sl.OO apiece.
This is done during the spring. L keep
them till fall before shipping. The food l
give them is a mixture Of eggs and IRISH
potatoes cooked. At the North | get for
them from dealers usually from 81 TO 81
apiece. They resell them at SO for OTdina-
~; and on up 10 $50, according to their
superiority as singers. In the colder eli
mate the birds live from five to seyen years.
l have known them to live herefOr thirteen
years. All this applies to the male, the fe-
male never devoting herself much TO the
cultivation Of her voice. The biggest price
1 ever got for s single bird was $50. l
have known S94 refused. There is a great
difference among the males as TO singing
qualities
''Can you tell from the appearance Of a
young male whether he will make a good
singer?'
q couldn't give you the marks-that's a
business secret; but there is a sign in the
colOring of the feathers. Very few ever
learn to initiate anything outside Of the
feathered kingdom. About one out Of a
hundred learns to mock the horse, COW,
chicken, pig, or any vocal sound it hears"
Another cOlored man named Lewis DOx-
ey makes it an exclusive business to deal
in mOcking birds. He takes his place daily
in the market-house and offers to buy all
the birds brought in from the country by
marketers. He has established quite
trade.