Litchfield enquirer., 1851-05-22
l. e--a.-i4-4s--- -
A Bird Story.

an account of curious affair which oc-
Cured in the case of young bobolink in
the family of j. w. Turner, of Great
Darlington, Mass. He was Gagged at first
apart from pair of canaries, which were
in another cage in the same room. The
bobolink never sung at all from June to
December, until lie was permitted TO
share in the same cage the civilties and
sympsthies of his neighbors, the cana>
ries, who had been so long entertaining
him with their sweet and unwearied
strains. Thus when admitted to the
same cage with them, he tried most as
siduousiy to learn their song. At first,
however, for long time, with miserable
success enough. He would stand and
watch them with an agony of attention,
and then try to initiate their notes. He
would swell out his throat and stretch up
his neck as they did, and then with vi
olent effort try to sound one note, which,
in spite of all his zeal and labor, proved
to be mere rough scream. At this hu-
initiating failure, lie would be so provo
ked and enraged that he would fly at his
inoffensive and we'll meaning mates and
teachers, and peck them most unmerci>
fully, and drive them from their perch.
So he did for three or tour weeks, before
any apparent progress was made in his
studies. But his perseverance was equal
to the difficulties he had to overcome
At length he could sound one note, and
one only. And SO he continued for some
six weeks longer; learning one note at a
time, till he had finally completed the
whole canary song, and could sing it to
perfection. Then he would sing it with
them in perfect harmony and perfect
time, always closing at the exact note
with them.
1t is also little singular that, although
through all this training, he was never
known to begin to make sound till the
canaries had first struck the key note, yet
after he had acquired the skill to sing
their songs, he must always now give
the significant cluck, when instantly the
canarles. forgetting or forgiving his form
er incivilities. would strike in with him,
and perform the piece with the greatest
perfection, and with the highest delight
to themselves and the listening family,
who enjoyed this singular concert thro'
the early part of every day for the whole
summer. .... .....
1t is also worthy of remark. that this
successful essayist in foreign music was
never known to utter note, or attempt
to utter note, in his native tongue, till
he had mastered the canary. Then, af-
ter a few weeks when he found himself
something of an independent singer, and
capable as he thought, Of leading the
choir. he at last ventured to 60 without
the chorus and attempt his own native
melody. In his first attempts at the solo,
it was most diverting to hear him in con-
fused notes-part in his native bob. o-lnk
and part in canary, till at length he was
able to expel all foreign clements from
his style, and sing only the pure bob-o-
link.
Having now succeeded in this, he pro-
posed to the canaries to try the chorus
again, and gave the 'cluck,' when the
canaries, instant to the sign, started off
singing their own native song. But not
SO with the bobolink; he threw himself
on his reserved rights and sung bob
o-link, and SO they have con.inuedto the
present time, he singing bob-o link, and
they canary. And as he is the choristcr
they begin when he does and end when
he ends precisely at the same instant.
When this bobo'ink was first caught,
his colots were bright beautiful black and
white. After melting, he has for some
reason not stated, never resumed his ORR
ginal spring dress, but has continued the
plain brown, like the female, now for two
years and sings in the winter as well
as in the summer, especially when the
sun shines brightly, and the winds wills
tie in the trees around the dwelling and
now since his character is matured, lie
is a sprightly. happy, gcntlomanly sort
Of bird.