Harz roller
The Harz Roller ( ), also known as the Harz bird, is a breed of singing canaries . The name refers to the origin from the Harz region and the rolling singing tours of these animals. They were primarily bred in the Upper Harz between Lautenthal and Sankt Andreasberg . In the middle of the 19th century, the Harz roller became known worldwide.
description
The Harz roller comes from the Canary Islands girl seat , which was introduced to Europe from Madeira and the Azores . Miners from Imst brought the canary to the Upper Harz as a pet in 1730 in search of work . The canary girl seat has greenish yellow and gray plumage, which developed into pale yellow to golden yellow in the course of domestication to the Harz roller. Newer breeds also include cinnamon-red, cinnamon-brown, orange-yellow, piebald and tabby birds.
Like the Kanarengirlitz, the singing of the Harz Roller has a clear sound and consists of alternating beats, trills and rollers - which is where the Harz Roller got its name from. The special song that made this breed an “export hit” has to be learned. The Harzer in addition to the ordinary scooters are further divided into hollow roller , Gluckervögel , bass and bell scooter .
singing
In patient breeding , this breed was made to sing very pleasantly melodious, varied and with an apparently closed beak. The song of a Harz Roller consists mainly of four stanzas (tours): hollow roll, knorre, whistle and hollow bell. The hollow roller is the most important element. The bird sings a rolling "r" in conjunction with the vowels "ü", "o" or "u", which then z. B. how "rururu" sounds. At Knorre the singer goes into the bass . A deep “krruruurru” is particularly appreciated here. The hollow bell is created by an "l" in connection with the vowels . The bird sings “lülülü” or “lololo” down to the deep “lululu” in a slightly offset form. With the pipe there are clearly separated soft single tones, in connection with the "d", which sounds like "du" or "dou", often at the end of a concert. If the bird uses a "li" in its song, it is called a bell or, as "ri", a bell role. There are also so-called side tours: Mother hen, Schockel and water tour.
Economical meaning
The breeding of the popular songbirds , as well as the manufacture of the mailing cages, meant an important sideline, especially for miners, smelter and forest workers . A price list from 1888 shows that a rooster of these coveted birds cost between 15 and 24 marks , while a hen was offered for 1.50 marks. In another price list of the C. Lange breeding company from Sankt Andreasberg, from the beginning of the 20th century, a singing canary is listed with 12.00 (7th class cock) to 31.00 Mark (1st class cock), a breeding hen with 2nd class , 50 marks. With a miner's wage of 2 marks per 10-hour shift, this part-time job was very important.
- Various advertisements for Harzer Roller from 1898
Canary Utensil Factory C. Schlösser
C. Ulrich tobacco and cigar factory
Canaries by W. Walter
Canaries mail order business C. Lange
Canary breeding company Wilhelm Schick
The demand for these animals was not limited to Germany . The wholesaler C. Reiche exported large quantities of these songbirds all over the world in the years 1882–1883, including 122,000 to New York , 10,550 to South America , 5,600 to Australia , 3,000 to South Africa , 12,000 within Germany and 30,000 to Europe Foreign countries. At times, 25,000 of these birds were sent out and given away at weddings each year. There were around 350 breeders in Sankt Andreasberg alone.
The birds were transported in small transport cages , the Harzbauer or Vuchelheisle , by the dozen on a reef , wrapped in a linen cloth, by Kiepenwomen to their transshipment points, from where they were sent on. A Kiepenfrau could transport 189 Harz farmers with one bird each on one reef .
- Various transport containers
Harz farmer as it was used for transport in the 18th and 19th centuries
Transport box for live birds
Transport box for live birds
Reff with 189 Harz farmers wrapped in linen
Kiepe with Harz farmers
Birds as a warning device in the mine
The birds were used as a warning device against so-called " dull weather ", that is, to warn against poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide and low oxygen levels in the ambient air. The canary is particularly suitable for this because, unlike finches, pigeons and mice, it already reacts very quickly to carbon monoxide. While a mouse only takes up to 70 min. shows a visible reaction to a carbon monoxide concentration of 0.77% in the air, the canary falls after 2.5 minutes. off the shelf at a concentration of 0.29%. For this reason, canaries were not only used in regular operations, but also especially to protect rescue teams in the event of accidents.
The hens were less suitable for sale, since only the roosters intone the popular song as part of their courtship behavior. Since only a few hens were needed for breeding, the remaining hens, in addition to the wild birds caught for this purpose, could be used as a warning device in the mine.
Trivia
The Harz Roller Canary Museum has existed in the Gaipel of the Samson mine in Sankt Andreasberg since 2001 . It shows the history of canaries, especially the Harz scooter. In addition to various exhibits on the breeding, keeping and transport of birds, live animals and a birdhouse workshop can also be viewed.
literature
- Jochen Klähn: Comments on the canary . from the Harz Roller Canary Museum in Sankt Andreasberg. Ed .: Andreas Klähn. 1st edition. Sankt Andreasberg 2006.
- Wilhelm Hochgreve: From a Harz scooter to a citizen of the world in plumage . In: General Harz Mountain Calendar for 1970 . 1969, p. 74-75 .
- Ernst Schlamelcher: Unsuwätter from "Harzer Roller" . In: General Harz Mountain Calendar for 1982 . 1981, p. 94-95 .
- The canary. From a Harz breeder. In: The Gazebo . Issue 11, 1875, pp. 181-184 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
- EK: From our favorite singer . In: The Gazebo . Volume 5, 1877, pp. 82–84 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
- Adolf and Karl Müller : The Harz canary . In: The Gazebo . Issue 15, 1888, pp. 259–260 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
- What does a canary cost . In: The Gazebo . Volume 34, 1888, pp. 580 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
- The canaries from the Truteschen tribe . In: The Gazebo . Volume 2, 1890, pp. 67 ( full text [ Wikisource ]).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i Jochen Klähn: Comments about the canary . from the Harz Roller Canary Museum in Sankt Andreasberg. Ed .: Andreas Klähn. 1st edition. Sankt Andreasberg 2006, p. 3-4, 6, 48-49 .
- ^ Wilhelm Hochgreve: From the Harzer Roller, a citizen of the world in plumage . In: General Harz Mountain Calendar . 1969, p. 74-75 .
- ↑ a b c d e Joachim Hinkel: Guide through St. Andreasberg in the Harz Mountains and the surrounding area . Ed .: Kurkommission. 1898.
- ↑ a b c A separate museum for the Harz scooter . In: Goslarsche Zeitung . February 14, 2001.