The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-01-08
How Birds are Taught 10 Sing,

Each kind of, bird sing, its owl
peculiar note, but ell may be taught
to sing regular notes. The mccking
bird and thrush learn tunes without
training. But, by a regular cduca
tion, other birds may become fine
performers. A contributor to the
'fE;ast' East sn1sher s"SS /, WIS., at d friends
house at Nahant. I rose oarIy in the
morning, and won't down s:airs t.
walk on the piazza. Whilo there ]
heard, as thought, some person
whistling tune in a very sweet style.
| looked around, but could see no one.
Whero could the sound come from
a q oagoS t'b:c, cafe yeS Wis EaSf; i'' in the he
Hi!dSt Of flowers and twinipg plants.
&c an it be-" thought l, "that such
! little bird as that has been taught
70 sing . regular tune SO sweet -
y did uot ,knoW what to make Of it,
When my f:icGd. came down stairs
she told me that it Mas the little Bird
who had whistled the sweet tune.
Then my friend cried out to the bird; :;
"Come Bully, Bully, sweet little
bulliinch, give US; ust one more tune"
And then this dear little bird h6ppcd
about the cage, looked at its mistress,
and @histled another sweet tune. It
was SO strange to hear bird whistle
a regular tune.
"Now, Bully said my friend, dyoli
must give Us Yankee Doodle. Come,
come, you shall have some nice fresh
seed if you will whistle Yankee Doo-
de-" And the little thing did whis-
Tie it much to my surprise.
!, Ny. friend then told me that sue
had brouSht tie bird from the little
town of Fulda; in Germany, where
there arc ltttle schools for teaching
those birds to sing; When a bull
finch has leatncd to sing two or three
of these tu,ics he is worth from $40
to $50, for lie will bring that rrico
i'll either France or Englaud.
Great skill! and patience are needed
to teach these birds. Few teachers
can have the time u give to the CHI
dren under their charge so much care
as the blvd teachers give to their
birds.
The birds are rnt into @Iaascs Of
about six each, and Ii. p fox t .;4r
III a dark room. !le,e, y a2n 1h"jr
food is given to them, they az ,cvJo
to hear music, SO that, when yil"&
have eaten their food; or when they
want more food, they will sing and
Try to initiate the tune they have just
heard. This thuG they probably con
meet With the act of feeding. AS
sooA as they begin to initiate few
notes the light i5 let in the room, and
this cheers tGem still mere, and makes
thom feel as If they would like to sing.
In. some Of these schools the birds are
allowed hcither light nor food till
they begin to sing. These are the
schools where the teachers are most
strict.
After beiiig thus taught in classes,
each bullfihch is pit under the care
of boy who plays his organ from
riofning till hight, While the master
or hii5treSs of the bird school goes
round to sec how The pupils are get
The burduShes seem to know at
once when they are soolded and when
they are praiSod by their master and
mistress and they like to be pctted
when they have done we'll.
The training goes on for nine
months; and then the birds have got
their education and u sent to Eng
land or France, and sometimes to
America, to be sbld:
All animals; all birds, and all rep"
tiles,-even fshes-are sus6eptibl Of
6ttlture and lmprBvemept: So are
plants, roots, and fruits. And above
and beyond all are himan. beings
capable Of almost llihiitable develop.
mehts both of bGdy and nlhd:
DroAth hi Illinois.