New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1882-08-30
soon came to my Office and said.

soon came to my Office and said:
'sMr. Barnum, those golden pigeons
are superb, but they cannot be from
California. Audubon mentioned no such
bird In his work upon American Ornith-
ology.''
told him he had better take Audi.
bon home with him that night, and
perhaps by studying him attentively he
would see occasion to change his mind.
The next day the old naturalist called
at my Office and remarked:
Mr.. Barnum, those pigeons are :
more rare bird than you imagine. Thew
are not mentioned by Linn@as, Cuvier,
Goldsmith or any other writer on natur-
al history, so far rs l have been able to
discover. I expect they must have
come from some UNEMPLOYED portion Of
Australia
Never mind" replied; .'we may
get more light on the subject, perhaps,
before long. We will continue to label
them California pigeons until we can
fix their nativity elsewhere
The next morning s'Old Grizzly Ad.
ans passed through the museum, when
his eyes fell on the Golden California
Pigeons
He looked moment and, doubtless.
admired. He soon after came to my or
flee.
Mr.. Barnnm said he, .'you must let
me have those California pigeons
Il can't spare thenl.' replied.
But You must spare them. AL; tho
birds aud animals from California ought
to be together. You own half of NV
California menagerie. and you must
lend mo those pigeons
''Mr. Adams. they are too rare and
valuable bird to be hawked about in
that manner"
''Oh, don't be a fool. - replied Adams.
''Rare bird indeed! Why they are just
as common in California as any other
pigeon! could have brought hundred
of them with me from San Francisco, if
had thought of it,
''But why did you not think of it?'
asked with a suppressed smile.
because they are so common there, :"
said Adams. II did not think they
would be any curiosity here. 1 have
had them in pigeon pies hundreds of
times, and have shot them by the thou
sand!'
"Oh, well, Mr.. Adams, if they are re-
ally SO common in California you had
better probably take them, and you may
write over and have half a dozen pairs
sent to me from the museum
''Al right" said Adams, 81 will send
over to a friend in San Francisco and
you shall have them here in couple of
months"
told Adams that for certain reasons
| would prefer to have him change the
label so as to have it read, Golden
Pigeons from Australia
s'Well, I will call them what you like"
said Adams; Il suppose they are as
plenty in Australia as they are in Cali
fOrnia."
Six or eight weeks after this incident
was in the California Menagerie, and
noticed that the Golden Pigeons had
assumed frightfully mottled appear
ance. Il called him up to the pigeon
cage and remarked:
''Mr. Adams, l fear that you will lose
your Golden Pigeons; they must be very
sick; l observe they are turning quite
pale.''
- Adams looked THEM q moment with
establishment. then turning to me and
seeing that l could not suppress asmile,
he Indignantly exclaimed:
''Blast the Golden Pigeons! You had
better take them back to the Museum.
You can't humbug me with your paint
ed pigeons"
This was too much, and laughed till
cried to witness the mixed look of as
constituent and vexation which mark
ed the grizzly features of old Adams
BIZ p. r. B0rnune.