The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-06-11
TRAFFIC IN BIRDS
More Than Half Million of Cana
ries From Abroad Yearly.
They Are Consigned to One New York
Firm, Which Handles Some 300,-
900 other Species-Germany
Sends the Songsters.

Eight hundred thousand birds are
imported every year by one New York
firm, according to w. De w. Miller, the
United States department of agricul-
ture special inspector of foreign ami
mails and birds at the port of New
York. More than 100000 of them are
canaries raised in the Hartz mountains
of Germany, where climatic conditions
have made the breeding of songsters
a profitable calling for many genera
tions.
Most numerous among the other
100000 are the waxbills, or weavers
comprising many small finchlike At
rican and Asiatic species), bullfinches.
Australian shell paroquets, parrots of
various species, cockatoos. shama
thrushes, South American cardinals,
African siskins and bulbuls. Of we'll
marked domesticated breeds imported
in large numbers are the white Java
sparrow, the yellow variety of the
shell paroquet, and the pied variety
of the weaver known as the Japanese
or Bengalese nun. Most of the small
birds are reared in captivity in Ger
many.
The birds imported range in size
from the tiny sunbird, less than half
the size of canary, and so delicate
that it is fed on honey and water and
little oatmeal, to such huge birds as
the ostrich, rhea (South American
ostrich, emu, vulture, and marabou
The larger and rarer birds are OBJ
tanned by men sent abroad in the in
terests of the importer, Louis Ruhe,
and of his brother, who has similar
| business in Germany. These men
visit all parts of the world and ship to
Germany the specimens they collect.
The founder of the business was Mr..
Ruhe's great-grandfather, who Travelled
| in Russia and Australia in search oil
birds before there were any railroads,
and had to tramp about with his cages
on his back.
| Now the firm supplies geological
parks, private aviaries, and bird deal
ers throughout the country with al
|
imports mammals of various kinds, but
in much smaller number and variety
than birds. The larger animals are
kept until sold at the firms farm on
Long island.
The proficiency of the canaries as
singers is determined by an expert
who stands before the rows of cages
in the Grand street building in which
they are housed ~and in the babel OF
piping voices, in which it is Impossible
to distinguish the notes Of any indi
vidual songster, judges the ability OF
each bird by the movements of his
bill. The birds are then marked as to
grade, values ranging from $1S to 500
a dozen.
AS a safeguard the government
maintains a careful inspection of all
the birds that come into the country
the inspectors being specialists in
crnithology. The only restrictions
made are in the cases of the European
starting and house sparrow, which
however, are already thoroughly natur
allied in this country, and among nam
mails the destructive mongoose, the In
PRODUCTION of which into the United
States is rigidly guarded against
An importer arranging for ship
ment of birds from abroad applies tc
the authorities Of the department OF
agriculture at Washington for per
nit, stating the number and kind OF
birds expected, with the name OF the
vessel, port from which it is coming
and the approximate date Of its ar
rival.
Because of the delicate nature OF
many of the birds and the disastrous
results that might follow from ex
posture at the docks preceding and dur
ing inspection, the shipment is at once
removed to the importing house, and
the inspection follows later. Complete
records of the number and species OF
birds imported by the various dealers
are made by the inspector and for
warded to Washington, where they are
kept on file for reference.