The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-08-17
RETAIL BIRD DEALERS.

An Extensive Trade Carried ON Ia New
York Almost Exclusively by Germans.
New York city's extensive trade in
singing birds Is carried on almost eX-
clusively by Germans. Not only have
they virtual monopoly OF this very
profitable business, but furthermore a
very large part Of the birds importa-
tions come from Germany direct. The
trade is chiefly with southern Germany.
The most plausible explanation Of the
prominence of Germans In this business
is the fact that. above all other qualities,
1t requires patience and Kindness. two
attributes in which the Germans. and
especially German women, excel. say S
the New York Sun.
There Is In New York very large
trade IN canary birds, and during the
period when larger share OF tie ma
ing ships than is the case now, parrots
and cockatoos were dealt in extensively.
though nowadays they have somewhat
gone out of vogue. Much care is ncces-
sary in the business OF lookipg after
birds, for they are subject to many all
mentS which must constantly be pro-
vidcd against. and without the exercise
Of great care the entire stock of the
d ealer might be swept away in short
time. The retail bird business does not
require very large capital The loss
Of birds by Illness Is the chief danger 10
be provided against, not the Indifference
OF purchasers. for these are never lacy
ing in New York. The ordinary price
for a singing canary is from 9150 to
S275
The age attained by birds varies coli
siderably--from 3 TO 100 years--theSe
being the maximum ages: Wren. ) years;
thrush, 10: robin l2: blackbird, IL; gold
finch, IS; partridge, 10; pheasant. Is;
lark, IS; nightingale. Is; pigeon. 20;
linnet, %; canary. "a; crane. "a; peacock.
"a; sparrow, 30; pelican. so; parrot. GO;
crow, swan and eagle, 100 years. There
is much less demand for birds for
pathological displays in museums in
the United States than in Europe, and
one reason given in explanation of this
is the fact that the museums Of most
European capitals are maintained at the
public expense, without private con-
tributions or the need OF any. whereas
in the United States the appropriations
for meHagerie and museum purposes are
generally speaking, inadequate. and
have 10 be ebed out by private contribu-
ti1ns. The annual appropriation for the
nenagerie in Central park. including
necessary repairs % the buildings. is
only $1,000. or considerably less than
half what 1t costs In year TO publish
the City Record the official journal
Many of the animals in the park and
some % the birds are lent by private in
dividuals What is true of New York
city in this regard is substantially true
of the other big cities of the United
States, aud SO the market for rare birds
rests chiefly upon the purchases OF
private individuals
The retail trade in birds In New York |
city, though fairly profitable to those
who from long experience have come to |
1t thoroughly, is not extend
Ing. and in fact IL, II anything, a little
on the decline, especially since the large |
dry goods stores embarked IN the bird |
selling business on an extensive scale.
The spider is so well supplied with the |
silky thread with which 1t makes its web
that an eXperimenter once drew eat Of
The body OF a single specimen 3,Si0 yards !
IF the thread--a length but little short
)f two miles. a fabric woven of spiders |
thread is more glossy than that from the I