Street-Seller of Birds'-Nests

Engraved illustration showing a street birds' nest seller. He wears a smock over trousers, a tall Italian-style cap, and his feet are bare. He holds a crude walking stick in one hand, over which a small snake is draped. In his other hand he carries a basket containing birds' nests with eggs. The birds' nest seller also sold snakes, slow-worms, lizards, frogs and snails. He collected his stock from country areas. The illustration was published in Henry Mayhew's 'London Labour and the London Poor: The condition of those that will work, cannot work, and will not work', Vol. 1., 'London Street-Folk', first published in 1861. No. 29 page 449.