The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-07

HE BoBoLINK AND THE CANARIEs.-A writer
in the Boston Traveller gives an account of curl
GUS affair which occurred in the case Of young
bobolink in the family of Rev. J. W. Turner o.
Great Darlington, Mass. He was Gagged at frs
apart from pair of canaries, which were in
another cage in the same room. The bobonk
never sang at all from June TO December, until he
was permitted to share in the same cage the civil.
tiles and sympathies of his neighbors, the cana
ries, who had been SO long entertaining him with
their sweet and unwearied strains.
When admitted to the same cage with them
he tried most assiduously to learn their song Al
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 violent effort, try to sound one note,
which, in spite of all his zeal and labor, proved
to be mere rough scream. AT this humiliating
failure, he would be so provoked and enraged,
that he would fly at his noffensive and wemean-
ing mates and teachers, and peek them most I'M
mercifully, and drive them from their perch. So
he did for three or four weeks, before any appar-
ant 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
well, and one only. And so he continued for some
six weets longer; learning one note at time, till
he had finally completed the whole canary song
and could sing il to perfection. Then he would
sing with them in perfect harmony and perfect
time, always closing at the exact note with them,
Ii 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
keynote. yet, aft.r he had acquired the skill to
sing their song, he must always himself now
give the signal by significant oitick, when, in
stantly the canares, generously forgetting or for
giving his former inciviies, would strike in with
him, and perform the piece with the greatest per.
fiction, and with the highest delight to them
selves and the listening family, who enjoyed this
singular concert through the early part of every
day for the whole summer.
IL 10 also worthy Of remark, that this successful
essayist In foreign music, was never known to
utter note, or to attempt 10 utter a note in his
native tongue, tilt he had mastered the canary.
Then, after few weeks, when he found himself
something Of an independent singer. and capable,
as he thought Of leading the choir, he at last ven
tured TO go without the chorus and attempt his
own native melody. In his first attempts at the
solo, il was most diverting 10 hear him in con-
fused notes-part his native bobolink, and part
in canary-till at length he was able to expel all
foreign elements from his style and sing only the
pure bobolink.
the cansries TO try the chorus again, aud gave the
"cluck." when the canaries. instant to the sign,
started or singing their own native song. But
not so the bobolink; he threw himself on his Gre
served rights, and sung bobonk, he singing boz
bolink, and they canary. And as he is the Choir
lister, they begin when he does, and end when he
ends, precisely at the same instant.
When this bobonk was first caught, his colors
were bright, beautiful black and white. After
molting, he for some reason nct stated, never re-
sumed his original spring dress, but has coniin-
ued 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 whistle in the trees around the
dwelling; and now, since his character is uatured,
he is sprightly, happy, gentlemany sort Of g
bird.