The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-08-23

A peep behind the scenes is always
interesting, and when we see diverse
and remote regions of the world pour
our country a desire is awakened to
know by what means this is accom-
plished.
In some cases the method is as old
as the history of maritime commerce.
From the time when vessels began to
make voyages to other countries sail
ors have brought back trophies of
various sorts, including specimens of
the fauna of distant lands. Some
birds are still thus brought in and are
bought by dealers in the various ports
of entry
This method, somewhat systema-
tized, prevails at San Francisco, where
the trade, temporarily suspended by
the earthquake and fire, is now be-
ginning to revive. Supplies are here
obtained from the crews of steamers
coming from China and Japan, who
make regular business of transport
ing cage birds, usually under an ar
rangement with the steamship COM
panies by which they are employed
whereby freight is paid out of the
proceeds of sales. The birds thus i'm
ported are considerable in number,
but few in species, being mainly Java
sparrows, diamond sparrows, Chinese
mockingbirds, and other common
kinds.
But most of the birds imported are
secured by more highly organized
methods. Several of the leading i'm
porters maintain forces of men to Sc
cure the desired birds either in their
native haunts or in European ports to
which they are brought by the agents
of other importers.
Parrots are generally taken while
still in the nest. During the nesting
season the leading American houses
send men to Cuba, Mexico or South
America to obtain stock. Headquar-
tiers are established by these agents
at some point convenient to the par
rot country and natives are employed
to secure the young birds, which are
forwarded to the United States in
periodical shipments. Agents have
sometimes been sent from this coun-
try to Africa to secure supplies of the
favorite African gray parrot, but these
are usually obtained in European ports
from vessels arriving with supplies for
the large European houses.
Small birds, other than canaries,
are generally captured with nets. Ex-
pert METERS continually visit remote
houses of Hamburg, London, Liver
pool and other large cities of Europe.
Similar expeditions are dispatched
from New York and Philadelphia to
Cuba and Mexico and occasionally to
more distant lands-even India; but
the principal American houses main
tain connections with establishE ents
in Germany, through which their sup
plies of old world and South American
birds are more commonly procured.
Canaries are obtained by agents
who visit breeders in the Harz
mountains, the Tyrol and other parts
of Europe. A few, however, are i'm
pOTI6u dI Dan rIduCloCO llOLu VI ecu
ers in China and Japan.
Most of the small birds received
from Africa and Australia are shipped
in large boxes especially prepared for
the purpose. These boxes are of diff
ferent sizes and accommodate from
one to 125 or $50 birds, according to
size of box or of birds shipped. Shell
parrakeets are sent from Australia in
especially large boxes, sometimes as
many as 500 making the journey in a
single box. The birds so shipped are
of a peaceable disposition and may be
Gagged together without fear of their
injuring one another; but some birds,
such as bullfinches, goldfinches and
male canaries, are quarrelsome, and
each bird has to be placed in a sepa-
rate cage.
Canaries are confined in small
wicker cages, seven of which are
strung ON stick, constituting what is
Technically known as a row. When