The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-03-07
A Singular BObOlink.

There used to be bobolink in the
town of Great harrington, Mass, which
became quite famous. He resided in
the family of Rev. Mr.. Turner, pastor
of the Congregational church in that
place. A gentleman who has seen the
bird and who is well acquainted with Mr..
Turner's family, tells me that the bird
was really worth going a long ways to
see. The poor fellow was caught when
he was quite young and put into a cage
in the same room with some canary
birds. Up to that time and for some
months afterwards he did not sing
note. BY and by he was put into the
cage with some canary birds. Then he
tried most assiduously to learn their
song; at first, however, with miserable
success. He would stand and watch
them with an agony of attention 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 a mere rough scream. AT
this hnmiliating failure he would be so
provoked and enraged that he would fly
at his inoffensive and well-meaning
mates and teachers, peck them most
numerically and drive them from their
perch. So he did for three or four
weeks before any apparent progress
was made in his studies. But his per-
severance was equal to the difficulties
that he had to overcome. AT length he
could sound one note nell, and one only.
And so he continued for some six weeks
longer, learning one note at time, till
he had finally completed the whole ca
nary song and could sing it to perfec-
ton. Then he would sing with them
in perfect harmony and perfect time,
always closing at the exact note with
although through all this training he
was never known to begin to make
sound till the canaries had first struck
the keynote, yet after he had acquired
the skill to sing their song he must
always himself give the signal by
significant chuck, when instantly the
canaries, generously forgetting or for
giving his former incivilities, 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 enjoyed
this singular concert through the early
part of every day for a whole summer.
After a few weeks, when he found
himself something of an independent
singer, and capable, as he thought, of
leading the choir, he at last ventured
to 90 without the chorus and attempt
his own native melody. In his first at
tempts at the solo, it was most divert
ing to hear him in confused notes-part
in his native bObolink and part in
canary-till at length he was able to
eTpel all foreign elements from has style,
and sing only the pure bobolink. Hav-
ing succeeded in this, he proposed to
the canaries to try the chorus again,
and gave the chuck, when the canaries
started off singing their own native
song. But not so the bobolink; he
and sang bobolink And so they con-
tinued as long as they lived together,
he singing bobolink and they canary.
And, as he was chorister, they began
when he did, and ended with him their
delightful strain precisely at the same
instant. When this bobolink was first
caught his colors were bright, beauti-
full black and white. After Noting,
for some reason not stated, he never
resumed his original spring dress, but
continued the plain brown, like the
female, for several years, and sang in
the winter as we'll as in the summer,
especially when the sun shone brightly
and the winds whistled in the trees
around the dwelling, and ever, after
his character was matured, was noted
as sprightly, happy, gentlemanly sort
of bird, though surely an eccentric
bachelor withal.-Selected.