Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-10-09
THE BIRD AUCTION.
SOMETHING OF CA1rAIN MULLETT, THE DEALER
IN SEA LIONS AND CANARIES-THR SALE
YESTERDAY - THE CAPTAIN SPINS A
LIVELY NAUTICAL YARN.

4 --~,~~|'
Notwithstanding the bad weather, there
. was quite crowd at Webb's auction sale o.
canary birds, yesterday morning. He had one
hundred -anaries, in small wicker cages, and
the birds made vociferous music. The singers
were evidently of the purest breed and theil
feathers were as yellow as buttercups, without
speck or flaw. They were imported from
Germany by Captain Mullett, bird fancier.
He informed an APPEAL reporter that he
brought ever twenty five hundred birds and
the duties, freight, ETC., footed up $3, $50.
THE BREED.
Isn't it cheaper to raise them here p
asked the reporter.
birds raised in this climate shed their
feathers three times year" said the Captain.
I" These birds are of the parest breed and
mott but once annually. People who like
canary birds want the best breed or nothing.
These bring about Eve dollars apiece, but at
people take fancy to the same bird and bid
| up high. The raising of these birds is quite
q business in Germany and millions are ex-
ported annually. Sometimes a whole ship
load comes over and great deal of care must
be taken with them" +
| MARINE INCIDENT.
"Some years ago was bringing over some
| five thousand birds, when an epidemic broke
out among them. Scores of them died every
day and we threw their little bodies ever
board every morning. 1t almost broke my
heart to see them perishing in mid ocean and
at last the disease made such ravages that the
sailors got alarmed and had an idea that they
too would catch the epidemic. Just about
this time one of the sailors died and his mates
firmly believed that he was infected by the
birds Nothing would do but to turn them
loose. l made no objection, as they seemed
bound to die anyhow, and so one afternoon
when two thousand miles from land, We liber- |
ated over four thousand of them. They filed |
the air above with yellow cload. They
dropped behind the ship, and by sumo down
they had all disappeared. The wind was quite
fresh, and at the rate we were bowling along
there seemed to be no possibility of the birds
catching up again and the sailors spread every
stitch of canvas, as if to escape. That night
we were becalmed and next morning the rig
ging was full of canaries. The yards, ratlins
and shroads were a mass of yellow, and it
was sight such as one would not see in
lifetime. The sailors got aver their super
stition and gave the little fellows their break
fast. The lived in the rigging until we reached |
New York. When the wind was strong and
cold they would get between decks, and if
the day was pleasant and the air not too !
heavy they took their regular exercise, taking
care, however, to keep pretty close to the
ship. They recovered from their epidemic =,
and the day before we reached port 1 had :,
them all back in their cages. The sea voyage .
made them strong and healthy and had ever
four thousand of them when 1 reached New
York.
BIRD HATER. IL
While the Captain was spinning his nautical s
7arn man came along and looked at the e
birds as if he wanted to purchase.
"Good singers, every ene," said the auc-
ioneer. "Tll warrant every bird singer or
10 SALE"
Singing birds ant my kind" said the &
nan. Hang it, l want one that never pipes
note. like EN- because they're pretty and
he children like to feed EN- had a singer
nee and he made such d racket that l cut e.
is head off, You couldn't hear yourself u
hink. thought my wife made considerable 81
Disc, but when the bird turned loose she
hut up every time. III could stake the bird D
GIN the woman all right, but the bird chat Ia
,red like a sawmill night and day. If you 81
ave dumb canary, moneys no object !"
FANCY VARIETIES. ~
The Captain has a few birds whose feathers e
re splashed with red. These are already II
ken by parties in San Francisco at $50 '"
piece. The red marks he considers a sort of sa
lsus nature and has never discovered the 81
ethed by which they are produced. Green ."
athers are more frequent. Trained canarles re
ing as high as 800 apiece and there is one Pc
New York valued at $500 and not for SALE Gu
BIRDS WITH "TALENT." an
The Captain says that birds have natural w
Tents for singing like human beings. sA
" You hear some birds that have harsh LIZ
pheasant note and some shrill, piping voice TN
at is not at all agreeable. Now occasionally en-
rda ara fonn1 that hava remark ahlo nowora | d.