m.

A dull, lazy smile crawled over the sober face of my German visitor, as
he replied in a slow, guttural tone of voice:

"What you think yourself?"

Catching his meaning, I quickly answered:

"I think it is a humbug?"

"Of course, I know you will say so; because you 'forstha' such things
better as any man living, so I shall not try to humbug you. I have color
them myself."

On further inquiry, I learned that this German was a chemist, and that
he possessed the art of coloring birds any hue desired, and yet retain a
natural gloss on the feathers, which gave every shade the appearance of
reality.

"I can paint a green pigeon or a blue pigeon, a gray pigeon or a black
pigeon, a brown pigeon or a pigeon half blue and half green," said the
German; "and if you prefer it, I can paint them pink or purple, or give
you a little of each color, and make you a rainbow pigeon."

The "rainbow pigeon" did not strike me as particularly desirable; but,
thinking here was a good chance to catch "Grizzly Adams," I bought the
pair of golden pigeons for ten dollars, and sent them up to the "Happy
Family," marked "Golden Pigeons from California." Mr. Taylor the great
pacificator, who has charge of the Happy Family, soon came down in a
state of perspiration.

"Really, Mr. Barnum," said he, "I could not think of putting those
elegant golden pigeons into the Happy Family--they are too valuable a
bird--they might get injured--they are by far the most beautiful pigeons
I ever saw; and as they are so rare, I would not jeopardize their lives
for anything."

"Well," I replied, "you may put them in a separate cage, properly
labeled."

Monsieur Guillaudeu, the naturalist and taxidermist of the Museum, has
been attached to that establishment since the year it was founded, 1810.
He is a Frenchman, and has read everything upon Natural History that was
ever published in his own or in the English language. He is now
seventy-five years old, but is lively as a cricket, and takes as much
interest in Natural History as he ever did. When he saw the "golden
pigeons from California," he was considerably astonished! He examined
them with great delight for half an hour, expatiating upon their
beautiful color, and the near resemblance which every feature bore to
the American ruff-neck pigeon. He soon came to my office and said:

"Mr. B., these golden pigeons are superb, but they cannot be from
California. Audubon mentions no such bird in his work upo