Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-09-27
BIRD LIFE AND DEATH.

An interesting article in the New
York Observer of the 28th of August, on
the habits of birds, brought to my mind
a fact in natural history as curious as it
is strange, which will relate. The cir
cumstahces may tend also to throw light
on the question, What becomes of the
birds which die a natural death
A friend of mine had a pet canary
which, to her deep regret, was found
dead in its cage. Instead of burying it,
as was first suggested, she determined
to furnish it sarcophagus in the shape
of beautiful little box. Thus encased
she carefully Llaced it in one OF her
drawers. After a few months she OPEN
ed the tiny coffin, and to her surprise
found only little heap of feathers. The
flesh and bones had entirely disappeared.
POndering over it, she closed the casket.
After several months she had occasion
to again open the casket.a Go her still
greater surprise, even the feathers had
fanished. No trace of her pet was left
behind. 1t was as If some Invisible in
fluence had been at work to absorb or
exhale the entire mortal remains of the
once animated songster. These facts are
entirely reliable. Let the naturalist ac-
count for them if he can. n,
May not these denizens of the air, who
soar SO gracefully and sing so sweetly in
their native element, when their choral
mission is ended, retire to some nook in
grove or crag, and there, by the action
of that atmosphere in which they once
disported, be absorbed into its ele-
ments, and SO cease to be portion OF
animated existence? If the idea is SIM
ply fanciful, there is, nevertheless a
beautiful prOpriety in it. ~a
Whilst on thA subject of birds, permit
me to say word concerning a pet ca
nary which has been domesticated in my
own family during the past year. She
is an early riser, as all birds are, and
when the person who gives her food and
drink salutes her with s'good morn.
ing" she makes a sort of bird salaam
sinking gracefully on her perch with 8
sweet cali, which seems to have i'm it a
responsive "good morning." Though a
female bird, her song is prolonged and
one of the sweetest, and rises higher in
proportion to the noise and clatter around
her. 'flSi4' ''1 a :" i',
But the most remarkable of her traits
is gymnastic exercise which she regu-
larly practices before settling down Il
her evening roost. No female acrobat
could spring through hoop or screer
more jubilantly or gracefully than does
this fairy creature through the ring sus
pended at the top of her cage. Aftel
several minures' practice through thi.
ring, she takes her position upon it fol
the night. If disturbed, she has to q
through the same process, as if undress
ing anew for this night perch. Sh,
never occupies 1t during the day. Thi
! young bird thus far is self-taught; bul
that she is susceptible of culture no
| body that observes her movements can
doubt. She is of buoyaht spirit, very
| will be short but happy; and we should
| much rather have her sssing herself
away" into non-existence, than to dl'
and be buried in the earth, to which sh,
seems to have so little affinity. How
much there is in this little bird angel {,
allure us in the direction of a spher,
where ssmortality shall be swallowed III
of life." aFsti