“Happy Families,” or assemblages of animals of diverse habits and
propensities living amicably, or at least quietly, in one cage, are so
well known as to need no further description here. Concerning them I
received the following account:--
“I have been three years connected with happy families, living by such
connexion. These exhibitions were first started at Coventry, sixteen
years ago, by a man who was my teacher. He was a stocking-weaver, and a
fancier of animals and birds, having a good many in his place--hawks,
owls, pigeons, starlings, cats, dogs, rats, mice, guinea-pigs,
jackdaws, fowls, ravens, and monkeys. He used to keep them separate
and for his own amusement, or would train them for sale, teaching
the dogs tricks, and such-like. He found his animals agree so well
together, that he had a notion--and a snake-charmer, an old Indian,
used to advise him on the subject--that he could show in public animals
and birds, supposed to be one another’s enemies and victims, living
in quiet together. He did show them in public, beginning with cats,
rats, and pigeons in one cage; and then kept adding by degrees all the
other creatures I have mentioned. He did very well at Coventry, but I
don’t know what he took. His way of training the animals is a secret,
which he has taught to me. It’s principally done, however, I may tell
you, by continued kindness and petting, and studying the nature of the
creatures. Hundreds have tried their hands at happy families, and have
failed. The cat has killed the mice, the hawks have killed the birds,
the dogs the rats, and even the cats, the rats, the birds, and even one
another; indeed, it was anything but a happy family. By our system we
never have a mishap; and have had animals eight or nine years in the
cage--until they’ve died of age, indeed. In our present cage we have 54
birds and animals, and of 17 different kinds; 3 cats, 2 dogs (a terrier
and a spaniel), 2 monkeys, 2 magpies, 2 jackdaws, 2 jays, 10 starlings
(some of them talk), 6 pigeons, 2 hawks, 2 barn fowls, 1 screech owl, 5
common-sewer rats, 5 white rats (a novelty), 8 guinea-pigs, 2 rabbits
(1 wild and 1 tame), 1 hedgehog, and 1 tortoise. Of all these, the
rat is the most difficult to make a member of a happy family: among
birds, the hawk. The easiest trained animal is a monkey, and the
easiest trained bird a pigeon. They live together in their cages all
night, and sleep in a stable, unattended by any one. They were once
thirty-six hours, as a trial, without food--that was in Cambridge; and
no creature was injured; but they were very peckish, especially the
birds of prey. I wouldn’t allow it to be tried (it was for a scientific
gentleman) any longer, and I fed them well to begin upon. There are now
in London five happy families, all belonging to two families of men.
Mine, that is the one I have the care of, is the strongest--fifty-four
creatures: the others will average forty each, or 214 birds and beasts
in happy families. Our only regular places now are Waterloo-bridge and
the National Gallery. The expense of keeping my fifty-four is 12_s._
a-week; and in a good week--indeed, the best week--we take 30_s._;
and in a bad week sometimes not 8_s._ It’s only a poor trade, though
there are more good weeks than bad: but the weather has so much to do
with it. The middle class of society are our best supporters. When the
happy family--only one--was first in London, fourteen years ago, the
proprietor took 1_l._ a-day on Waterloo-bridge; and only showed in the
summer. The second happy family was started eight years ago, and did
as well for a short time as the first. Now there are too many happy
families. There are none in the country.”