Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-05-12
A Remarkable BObOIiuk.
From the Christian Union |

From the Christian Union
A curious circumstance quite aside from
the ordinary dictates of instinct, once occur
red IN the case of young bObOlink in the
family OF clergyman at Great Darlington,
Massachusetts. He was Gagged at first apart
from pair of canaries, which were in another
cage in the same ROOM The bObOlink never
sang at all from June to December, until he
was permitted to share in the same cage the
civilities and sympathies of his neighbors,
the canaries who had been so long entertain
ing him with their sweet and unwearied
strains. When admitted to the same cage
with them, he tried most assiduously to learn
their sOng-at first, however, for a long time,
with miserable success enough. He would
stand and watch them with All agony of at
tentiOn, and then try to initiate their notes.
He would swell out his throat and stretch up
his neck as they did, and then, with a 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 inoffensive and we'll
meaning mates and teachers and peck them
most numerically and drive them from their
perch. So he did for three or four weeks be-
fore any apparent 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. As SO he continued for some six weeks
longer, learning one note at a time, till he
had finally completed the whole canary song,
and could sing it to perfection. Then he
would sing with them in perfect harmony
and perfect time, always closing at the exact
note with them.
1t is also a little singular that although
through all this training he was never known
to begin to make a sound till the canaries
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
a significant cluck: when, instantly, the
canaries, generously forgetting or forgiving
his former incvilities, would strike in with
him, and perform the piece with the greatest
perfection, and with the highest delight to
themselves and the listening family, who en-
joy this singular concert through the early
part Of every day for the whole summer.
1t is also worthy of remark that this sue
cesstul essayist in foreign music was never
known to utter note in his native tongue
till he had mastered the canary. Then, after
a few weeks, when he found himself some
thing Of an independent singer, and capable,
as he thought, of leading the choir. he at last
Ncntureu 10 go without the cnOfuS ana at
tempt his own native melody In his first
attempt ut the solo it was most diverting to
hear him in confused notes-part in his
native bobolnk and part in canary-til at
length he was able to expel all foreign elc
ments from his own style, and sing only the
pure bobolink. Having now succeeded in
this, he proposed to the canaries to try the
chorus again. and gave the "cluck," when the
canaries instant to the sign, started off sing
ing their own native song. But not so the
bobolink he threw himself on his reserved
rights and sang bobolinE, and so they con-
tinued, he singing bobolinl. and they canary.
And as he was the chOrrister, they began
when he did and ended At precisely the
same instant.
When this boboiink was first caught, his
colors were a bright. beautiful black and
white. After moulting, he for some reason
not stated never resumed his spring dress,
but continued the plain brown like female, !
and sang in the winter as well as in the sum-
mer. especially when the sun shone brightly
and the wind whistled in the trees around
the dwelling. In all other respects his char !
actcr matured like others of his species, and
he was sprightly, happy, gentlemanly sort
of a bird.