Posted by Peter H on August 12, 2003 at 18:32:08 from 213.122.138.56 user Peter_H.
In Reply to: Re: Conservation of Environment posted by Jonathan Labaree on August 11, 2003 at 21:27:58:
Jonathan is right to stress the 'quantity' aspect. When AR was writing, he no doubt envisaged Capn Flint wandering into the local market in a tropical seaport and buying a parrot there. Imports of tropical birds to Europe have increased hugely since those days and it is now big business - the birds are gathered by teams of local people and crated over to Belgium, thence to the UK. I have forgotten the exact fraction of the birds which don't survive the trip, but it is something like 4 out of 5, certainly not less than that. It is a disgraceful and cruel trade.