Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-08-04
Facts About Canary Birds.

Mrs. Annie A. Preston sends tho follow
ing chit chat to tho Youths Companion:
While waiting for the noon train at tho
Greenfield railway station 1 was attracted
by a sweet and lusty bird-song, TO the space
enclosed by counters between the ladies'
and gentlemen's waiting-rooms, which is
used for a restaurant. Within tho enclos-
ure were suspended from the ceiling circu-
lar rows of bird-cages.
1.-THE birds make your apartment very
attractive" remarked to the proprietor,
as l selected an orange from tempting
basketfu.
EYES," said be, "attractive 10 those who
have liking for the pretty creatures. 1
used TO have as many as sixteen here at ono
time, and then, 1 tell you, we had music.
But you see there is no sunshine here, and
they pine for it.
"After a while they don't do well, stop
singing, and look detected. cannot hang
them out in the waiting-rooms, near the
windows, because at train limo when l
and my assistants are busy, they might be
st Glen F; 1t would DO the easiest thing in the
W World, you sec, for person TO carry off
cage of canaries.
"Yes'm, yes'm, they are intelligent little
creatures naturally, and some of them can
be taught great many things. You can
tell great deal by the shape of their heads
whether they can be learned much or not.
snow, I've got a bird up at my house
that wouldn't take twenty-five dollars for.
That bird whistles, yes'm, DhiStIeS RAISES
and falls the eight notes, my daughter here
will tell you, as accurately as any person
can do. Now that bird could be taught TO
whistle tunes, had the time to devote 10
| him.
"Theres a woman up in the village, who
has bird that sings tunes. One day, gen.
tleman friend of hers from distance called
to SEQ her. In the course of conversation
he spoke about the bird, and the lady
| said,-
"'That bird can sing Tile Star Spangled
Banner" correctly
1.-THE gentleman, who was quite musi-
clan, smiled, in an increduous way, and
shrugged his shoulders.
"'You don't believe it, the lady went on.
"'Of course l lake your word for it, he
replied, while must say that l cannot
help thinking that quite likely your mag
ination comes in TO the assistance of your
pet "Hearing is believing" however,
$50 the lady sat down to the piano and
began playing the tune. Immediately tho
little songster took II up; she stopped play
ing, while the canary went through with it
alone two or three times without missing
| note.
| frin NAn HoA hnr no al for
| the bird, but she would not part with it at
any price.
"Yes'm, 1 know that TO be fact. Why,
bless you, know of two or three canary
birds that can tall! There's one in town
not very far from here that is very fond OF
biscuit and butter, and when he smells it
on the tea-table, he says:-
"'Please, marin, biscuit and butter and
and he says it almost as plainly as child
talks.
"And there is another in Springfield that
says 80 am sweet little Dicky-bird.' He
speaks the words quite distinctly.
~ suppose that as many as fifteen hun
died people have been 10 see that bird.
You see the way it was taught, the lady who
owned it had no children, and being fond
of pets, she talked great deal to her cana
ry, whose cage hung near the door between
her-sitting-Ioom and dining room, through
which she passed many times every day
when about her duties.
"As she passed the cage, she would say,
from habit, you know, whether she stop
ped 10 notice the bird particularly or not,
80 am sweet little Dicky-bird.'
st was not lone before she was attracted
by queer sounds the bird was making,
which very much resembled the pet phrase.
Didn't say it right off, at first, of course,
but practice makes perfect, even with birds,
and now he speaks it as plain as can.
20, yes, it seems wonderful, but it's a
fact that you can learn these birds almost
anything by having patience. But, as
said before, great deal depends on the
shape of their heads"
|