Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-07-24
AMERICAN NIGHTINGALES.
HOW MoCKINa BIRDS ARE RAISED
AND SOLD.
HaH a Thousand of the Songsters in
One Cage-How to Raise Them
and Get the Best Results.

greater popularity than the mockine
bird. 1t is the king-the great artist OF
the feathered musicians. Washington
has lately been made the supply centre,
and every week hundreds of the "Ameri-
can nightingales, as they are sometimes
called, are shipped all over the country.
The birds never were so cheap, and a
good songster may now be had for the
same price as canary.
To learn something of the mocking
bird a reporter of the Star visited the
bird man and found him busily engaged
opening a crate of birds just from
Texas.
The crate was a peculiarly constructed
concern, contrived after great deal of
experience in shipping birds. 1t con-
sisted of long fiat box, with an apex
shaped cover of stout cotton. The in
terror arrangement was novel. At each
end there was an automatic feeding water
cup, while the food troughs were located
on each side, the contents being held in
place by wire netting. The birds could
peck the food out from between the in
terstices of the netting, while the latter,
on account of its density, could not
shake out. The birds were lively and
looked none the worse for their long
journey. Forty six was the number the
box contained, and when shortly after
ward they were tranferred to the big
cage the brdman's stock in trade of
mocking birds numbered 672. AS soon
as the birds had been transferred the
bird man turned to the reporter.
10 70
thing about mocking birds. Well, to
begin with, it is hiy favorite bird and
rivals the far-famcd English nightn-
gale. "Thc mocking bird, you know"
said the bird man, as he pushed par
rot's head from between the bars of its
cage, where it had been caught, ISIS n
thorough-blood American. He comes
mostly from the Southern States, although
he has been found in New England.
His plumage is not beautiful, but his
homcliness in this regard is lost sight of
when you hear his wonderful voice. He
commences to sing when about two
months old. The first notes are weak,
but the little musician, becomes bolder
with age, and continues to improve in
voice until he has passed three summers,
when it is claimed he is in full song. No
music was ever sweetcr than the mock
ing birds as he pours forth his melodi.
GUS strains in his native element. When
he is Gagged his voice assumes a certain
harshness now and then which he learns
from his habitation among men. He is
great mimic and initiates buzz saw
as well as a Growing rooster. He is very
docile when raised by hand and can
easily be taught tricks as well as tunes.
Only the male bird sings. That is the
rule, although the female has on
rare occasions been known to sing al
most as well.
"The great difficulty buyers experience
is in obtaining male. 1t is not easy
to distinguish the sexes so closely do
they resemble each other. A shrewd
Connecticut man some years ago adyer-
tised that for ten cents in stamps
he would disclose a method where
by any one could Immediately tell |
the difference between male and
female mocking bird. A great many
people invested. l did among them.
When the reply came in this is what re. |
ceived printed on a slip of pink paper.
Take two birds and put them in a cage.
Then get worm. Carefully open the
cage door, being sure not to frighten the
birds, and throw the worm in. Now
watch carefully. If he gets it it's he
and if she gets it it's she.' 1t was a
great sell.
"The only way know of to distin-
hef ha sc l,,y h.
ing of the wings. Catch your bird
firmly by the body in the left hand and
spread out the wings. A perfectly
marked male is called four feather
bird. That is commencing at the upper
side of the wing, if you can count four
white feathers without any splashes of
black the bird is male. 1t is not neces.
sary for bird to have four white feath-
ers to be a male, as three indicate the
same thing, but it Is absolutely necessary
for tho feathers to be perfectly free from
black splashes. A word about feeding
and then must leave you. Mock:ng
birds are hardy and with care live to
good age. The diet must be carefully
looked after. Prepared food is excel
lent and L use it altogether, alternating,
however, with little carrot mixed in it
or mixture of hard boiled egg and
potato. A meal worm is good now and
then, and berries, when in season, are
very good. l forgot to mention one
thing which is absolutely necessary to
even brief description of the mocking
bird, and that is this: Not a day passes
but some person brings bird back, de-
claring that it is female and won't
sins. This is the breeding season and
Tor two weeks they don't sing to any ex-
tent. The only other time they are
silent is in the moulting season. y VASE
angton Star.