The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-21
Whisfling Birds.

....,.,- Whisfling Birds.
At bird store in this city there are
forty whistling bulfinches and half a
dozen blackbirds and starlings of SINH
lar musical proclivities. One of these
tiny musicians will give little toss of
his head and whistle you . tune from
:" Boccaccio'' or ''tatinitza." Then
another follows with "The Pope he
leads q merry life," q galop or waltz, or
some German Vokkslied. Their song is
generally German melody, for most Of
the birds come from Germany. A few
are caught and taught in England, and
they whistle English tunes like "God
save the Queen'S and "Robin Adair. -
Dealers class whistling birds as pro-
hcient or not proficient. To the first
class belong those that whistle several
tunes, or one tune very well. and in the
second class are birds that can only
whistle fraction of q tune. Out of
fifty birds about forty are proficient,
and about two-thirds of these can
whistle two melodies. A couple OF
birds may have learned three or four
tunes: The most expensive bird in the
establishment (his price is 5000
whistles only one tune, Thou art like
unto flower" But his tone is as mol
low as the low notes of a flute, and he
introduces trills and florid passages of
which prima donna might BE- proud.
These birds abound in Hessen and
Saxony, where they are taught bv tail
ors, shoemakers and weavers, whose
occupations keep them indoors. The
teaching begins from the time they are
strong enough to be taken from the
nest. The tune they are to learn is
whistled to them several times day,
particularly in the morning and even
ing. Whistling is preferred, as instru-
ments are too shrill. They should al
ways hear the tune in the same KEY,
and no other tune should be played or
whistled in their hearing as long as they
are learning. The time in which they
six months. They will almost at all
times pipe their tune at the command
"a nod or word) of the person who
feeds them, and only for him, so it is
important that they should always be
fed by the same person. When piping
they move their head, and sometimes
sway the body to and fro and spread out
the tail like fan. ,.
Buyers visit the houses of tailors,
shoemakers and weavers in little Ger
man towns and try and make bargains
with these people. A buyer will some
times find bird early in the morning,
and its owner may know of another. He
takes him to his friend, and he again
may accompany him to another friend.
BIZ night he will have ten birds and ten
men following him. Then they adj ourn
to little tavern and have whistling
match. One tailor in Hessen has taught
more than fifty birds to whistle pretty
Polly and now people don't care for
birds that whistle this tune. Some
times bird will not pipe for the buyer.
Then the owner puts him in a dark cage
and rubs two fiints together. which pro-
duce q peculiar musical sound. This
generally causes the bird to whistle.
Often the birds pipe of their own &C
cord.
They do not breed in captivity. Fe-
males are difficult to teach. Only one
in fifty can be properly taught. Wits
Ting birds never forget a tune. They
are very affectionate and faithful; they
will follow their owner, perch on his
arm or finger, and feed from his hand.
Starlings have several cute tricks in
addition to their musical accomplish
ments. They hop around the house
looking for glittering objects which they
appropriate and conceal. Starlings and
blackbirds are more difficult to teach
than bultinches.
Whistling birds suffer considerably
during sea voyage. They are put in
little cages, which are placed seven in
a row in cases containing 2lO. Birds
of ordinary proficiency cost from 81 to
81 abroad, and are sold here at prices
VARYING from SIS to $50. Sometimes
they are concealed in large bouquets
and placed on the table at large din
ner parties, where they pipe their tune
unseen.
The bulinch has no natural song, and
the natural song of the startling and
blackbird is Indifferent; but all the
male birds and some females of these
species have the ability OF initiating a
melody in a clear, hute-like tone and
with wonderful accuracy.
A story is told of one of these whis-
Ting birds which had been taught a SIM
pie melody. Hearing it performed on
the piano one day, with variations, he
began to hiss and flutter until the play
ing stopped. Then he gave his version
of the air. The same bird was owned
for time by a lady whose custom was
to have hymn sung at the conclusion
of evening prayers. He caught the
voices. Afterward, when he passed
into another family. he continued to
sing the hymn every evening at the
same time as he used to sing it in the
family where he first heard tn y
Sun