Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-02-16
FEATHERED RIVALS.
Canary Birds in a Singing Match.
Phikadekphia Record. IgtA.

PhiSadelpAia Record, 1gf1.
The first ''great prize singing contest
for canary birds" ever held in this coun
try occurred last evening in this city at
James Dawson's, No. S23 CaIloWhiU
street. Matches of this character are
quite common in England, but until this
time have been an unknown quantity in
American sports. The rules are simple
and are as follows: Each bird entered is
allowed ten minutes in which to prove it's
capabilities as sOngster, during which
Time the room must be kept quiet and
nothing allowed to disturb it. Neither is
1t allowable for the bird to be eOaxed into
singing by any whisting or chirping. The
actual time consumed in singing is taken
by st0p-Watch, and the bird singing the
longest in ten minutes wins the purse.
For the match last night there were five
entries: Thomas GilPs "Flute," George
Barlow's "Musfc,'' William Clark's
whistler" John McIntyre's "John L.
Sullivan" and an unknown's "Pete,V
each owner paying 81 30 toward a sWeep-
stakes. OF these only three birds came up
to time. ''JOhn i. Sullivan and
whistler" for reasons best known to
their hackers, not putting in an appear
ance. At O'Clock, the hour set for the
contest to begin, the saloon was filled
with an interested audience, principally
made Up of sporting Englishmen, who.
having discussed the merits of the rival
birds, decided that ESFlute'' was the crack
performer, and ''FIute' consequently
ruled as favOrite in the few wagers made
upon the result. The favorite was the
first to be put to the test, and was placed
IN his cagei upon the mantel in the back
parlOr, which was crowded with about
fifty men sitting in silence, their eyes
riveted upon the little feathered per
former.
The word was given at sos O'Clock. and
the cover removed froW the cage.
when "Flute" uttered fifteen or
twenty feeble squeaks in as many
SECONDS, and then looked out on
the silent audience for about three min
utes without as much as turning his
pretty little head. This reverie was fol-
lowed by momentary tWitter. and
Flute" then put in three or four minutes
in vigorously hopping about his cage. He
then stopped, squeaked softly for a mo-
ment, and launched forth into q burst of
song, which lasted, according to the time
keeper, Just twenty-four seconds, at the
end Of which time the concert stopped.
and "Flute" endedIhis ten minutes by hop
ping about and twittering softly, as
though talking to himself. His squeak
did not count. His record was given as
twenty-four seconds.
Music" was the second performer. AS
soon as the cover was taken from his case
he gave short overture of twitters, fol-
lowed by good loud, hearty song, which
evidently included all the notes in his tinv
yellow throat, as the last nine minutes of
his allotted Time were put in hopping
about and eating his supper. 'EMusic's51
record was given as 591S seconds.
The third and last trial for the prize was
that of the gray and yellow bird '.Pete,''
who, although the possessor of a stunning
gllt cage, never uttered a sound, with the
exception of one momentary note, lasting.
the tlmekeeper said, two-thirds of a Sec
ond. "Music" was therefore awarded the
stakes.
The next match, it is hoped, will bring
out much stronger show of birds and
better records, both ''Music'' and s.Flute''
having made records of over eight min
utes singing out of a given ten.