The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-08-10
STUDY OF A CAT-BIRD.

STUDY UF A CAI-DlKDs
For more than eight months a cat
bird has lived in my house, passing his
days in freedom in the room where sit
at work. and his nights in a cage not
six feet from my head.
Having spent summer in watching
his ways in his home, and acquiring a
proper respect for his intelligence,
now wished to test him under new con-
ditions, to see how he would adapt him
self to our home, and I found the study
one of the most absorbing interest.
He had been Gagged a few weeks only,
but he was not at all wild, and he soon
grew so accustomed to my silent pres
ence that, unless spoke, or looked at
him, he paid no attention to me. By
means of small mirror and an opera
glass was able to watch him closely in
any part of the room, when ne thought
himself unobserved
To the loving student of bird WAYS
his feathered friends differ in character,
as do his human ones. MY cat-bird is a
decided character, with more intelli-
gence than any other bird / have OBJ
served. The first trait | noticed. and
perhaps the strongest, was curiosity.
1t was extremely interesting to see him
make acquaintance with my room, the
first he had ever been free to investi-
gate.
Usually with birds long Gagged it is
at first hard to induce them to come
out. l have been obliged actually to
starve them to it, placing food and
water outside, and repeating it for
many days, before they would come out
freely and not be frightened. Not SO
with the cat-bird The moment he
found that certain perch | had Just
put into his cage led into the room
through the open door, he ran out upon
1t and stood at the end, surveying his
new territory.
Up and down, and on every side he
looked, excited, as the quick Jerks of
his expressive tail said plainly, but
not in the least alarmed. Then he took
wing, flew around and around several
times, and at last, as all birds do, came
full speed against the window, and fell
to the floor. There he stood, painting.
l spoke to him, but did not startle him
by movement; and in few minutes he
recovered his breath, and flew again,
several times, around the room.
AS soon as he became accustomed to
using his wings and learned, as he did
at about the second attempt, that there
was a solid reason why he could not
fly to the trees he could see so plainly
outside the window, he proceeded to
study the peculiarities of the new world
he found himselfin. He ran and hoped
all over the floor, into every corner;
tried in vain to dig into it, and to pick
up the small stripes on it. (The floor
was covered with matting) That be-
ing thoroughly eXplored-the lines of
junction of the breadths and the heads
of the tacIs, the dark mysteries of far
under the bed and the queer retreat be-
hind the desk-he turned his attention
to the ceiling, Around and around he
flew slowly, lowering just under it, and
touching 1t every moment with his bill,
till that was fully understood to be far
other than the blue sky, and not pene-
trable. Once having made up his mind
about anything, it was never noticed
again.
The windows next came under OBJ
servation, and those proved to be a
long problem. He would walk back
and forth on the top of the lower sash,
touching the glass constantly with his
bill, or stand and, gaze at the pigeons
and sparrows, and other objects out
side; taking the liyeliest interest
in their doings, and now and
then gently tapping, as if he
could not understand why it was inn
possible to join them. If it had not
been winter, his evident longing would
have opened windows for him; pining
captive being too painful to afford any
pleasure.
But he soon became entirely content
ed, and, having satisfied himself of the
nature of glass, seldom looked out, I'M
less something of unusual interest at
tracted his attention: noisy dispute in
the sparrow family, trouble among the
children of the next yard, or a snow
storm, which latter astonished and dis
turbed him greatly, at first.
The furniture then underwent ex-
animation. Every chair round, every
shelf, every table and book, every part
OF the bed, except the white spread, of
which he always stood in awe, was
closely studied, and its practicabilitv for
perching purposes decided upon. NV
desk is an ever fresh source of interest
since its contents and arrangements
vary. The top of row of books across
the back is his regular promenade and
Is carpeted for his use with a lone strip
of paper. There he comes the first
thing in the morning, and peers over
ahe desk to see if / have anything for
him, or if any new object has arrived.
Here he gets his bit of apple or raisin;
here meal worms are sometimes to be
had; and here he can stand on one foot
and watch the movements of my pen,
which he does with great interest. Oc-
Casionally he finds an open drawer. into
which he delights to 60, and continue
ms explorations among postage-stamps
ana BITS OF rubber, pencils and other
small things, which he throws out on
the hoor, with always the possibility of
discovering what is still an ENIGMA to
him, rubber band to carry off for his
own use, as win explain further on.
The walls and the furniture under
stood, he proceeded with his studies to
the objects on the table. A mechanical
toy interested him greatly. It moved
easily, and the wind of his wing, alight-
ing near it the first time, joggled it lit
tie. He turned instantly, amazed to see
signs Of life where he did not expect