The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26

money to pay their rent The best singing
birds are still procured from the Harz
mountains, where the breeding of canaries
was begun as early as the sixteenth CEN
fury and has been carried on ever since.
In Germany canaries are bred only for
song, while in England some are bred for
size and color. Some birds are bred In this
country, but they show tendency to "hark
back" from the yellow plumage to the mot
tied green coats Of the wild birds in the
Canary islands, and they are not as good
singers as the German. The retail price
here Of a good young bird from Germany
Is about $50. but prices run up as high as
SIS apiece for trained singers. The latter
are educated by being put when young in
the company of other fine singing birds,
such as the nightingale, many of whose
notes they learn 20 initiate.
The demand from all parts Of the world
for the German canaries, Mr.. Ruhe said.
is so great that this country can't get
enough Of them. The average purchaser of
more than six months, as he Cor she) will
persist in hanging its cage near a window.
Although hardy in other respects, the birds
cannot stand draughts, and when kept by a
window they are very liable to take cold
and die.
Next to the canaries the largest bird i'm
portations are those Of parrots The great
er number of these are the Cuban birds
which have a white head and red breast
They are good takers. Agents of the i'm
porters make contracts with country people
III
nests in the forests when they are very
young and therefore easily tanned. About
1900 of these birds are imported to New
York annually, and are sold. unframed. for
"a or IS apiece. Next to these In number
are the Mexican parrots of which there are
several varieties. Most of the 1900 or 5000
year which are brought here are Of the
kinds known as the double yellow head and
the red head. The former are the best talk
ers. and as young birds sell for SIS or $20
while the red heads fetch the same price
as the Cuban parrots.
The finest takers are the gray African
parrots, but, although they are in good de-
mand, IL is said that only 100 are sold to-
day for every 800 that were disposed OF in
this country years ago. The demand fell
on at one time because people had become
afraid TO buy them. they were so likely to
die on the purchasers hands. When the
demand increased again the supply had be-
come inadequate. As matter of fact. il
is said, the popular idea that these parrots
are delicate Is mistake. as they are even
harder than the Mexican birds; but they
are usually not well cared for by sailors on
the voyage from Africa, en- which they are
liable to contract blood poisoning from i'm
proper food. Only about 1000 of them are
age price for young bird is SIS. In regard
to their linguistic abilities, the importer
spoke Of an African Dird that is his own
personal pet, which. he said. talked f1uently
in English. French high German and low
German, besides little in Russian. For a
fine talker prices run up as high as s. 900. a
price which is paid perhaps once year"
The payment of 500 for highly trained
and accomplished talker is said not to be
uncommon.
About 1900 European wild birds. chiefly
bullfinches. goldfnches, linnets and thrush
es are imported here annually, and also
about 1000 African hnches. The latter
birds have no song, but are kept for orna-
ment. and a pair bring from 81 up to SO.
The bullfnch. when trained. Il noted for his
talent as a whistler. and sometimes whistles
accurately as many as FIVE or six tunes. For
a well-trained builhnch the price il from
SIS upward. The demand In this country
for all kinds of imported cage birds increases
from year to year, the advance being partly
due TO increase OF population and partly to
greater general interest In them. This de-
mand. II Is said. Is largely stimulated by
children. most OF whom are very fond OF
birds as household pets