Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-19
BIRD MUSIC.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE BOSTON TRAVELLER.
GREAr BARRINGTor, MARCH lS, IS

CoRREsPoNDENcE or THE BOSTON TRAVELLER.
GREAT BARRIxsTos, March ls, 1851.
Messrs. EDIroRs A curious circumstance quite aside
from the ordinary dictates Of instinct occurred in the Of
young boboink, in the family of the Rev. ]. W. Turner
Of Great Darlington Massachusetts He Gagged at first
apart from pair Of canarie which were in another cage in
the The bobonk sang at all from June to
December until he permitted to share in the same cage
the civies and sympathies Of his neghbos the canae
who had been long entertaining him with their sweet and
unweared strains. When admitted to the cage with
them, he tried most asduousy to learn their song frs
however, for long time, with miserable success enough
He would stand and watch them with agony Of attention.
and then try initiate their notes. He would swell out bis
throat and stretch up bis neck they did, and then with
violent effort try sound note, which, in spite Of all his
zeal and labor proved to be rough scream. At this
humang failure he would be provoked and enraged that
he would fly at his inoensye and well meaning mates and
teachers and peck them numerically, and drive them
from their perch So be did for three or four weeks before
any apparent progress made in his studies But his per-
equal to the difficulties he had to overcome
At length be could sound one note we'll and only And
he continued for six weeks longer learning note
time till be had finally completed the whole canary song
and could sing it perfection. Then he would sing with
them in perfect harmony and perfect me always closing at
the exact note with them.
It is also little singular that although through all this
trainings he known to begin to make sound till
the canares had first struck the keynote, yet after he had
acquired the skill to sing their song he must always himself
now give the signal by significant cllek when, instantly,
the canaes generously forgetting orgvng his former in
civies, would strike in with him, and perform the piece
with the greatest perfection and with the highest delight
themselves and the listening family who enjoyed this singular
concert through the early part Of every day for the whole
summer. 4
also worthy Of remark that this successful essayist in
foreign music known to utter note to attempt
to utter in his native tongue till he had mastered the
canary. Then, after few weeks, when he found himself
something independent singer and capabe thought
of leading the choir be at last venured to go without the
chorus and attempt his native melody In his first at
tempts the solo, most dveng to hear him in
fused notes-pa in his native bobonk and part in canary,
till length he able e1pel all foreign element from his
style, and sing only the pure bobolink.
Having succeeded in this he proposed to the canares
to try the chorus again, and gave the when the ca
naes instant the sign, started off singing their own native
song But not the bobolink he threw himself on his
reserved ghts and sang boboink and they have con-
nued the present me he singing bobonk and they ca
nary And he is the choster, they begin when be does
and end when he ends, precisely At the same instant
When this bobolink first caught, his colors were
bright beautiful black and white. After Noting, he, for
reason not stated resumed his original spring
dress, but has continued the plain brown, like the female,
now for two years. and sings in the winter as well in the
summer especially when the shines brightly and the
winds whistle in the around the dwelling; and now,
since his character matued, he is spghty happy, gen.
tennanly sort OF a bird. J. M. +.