The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-20
TEACHING BIRDS TO SING.
Csnaries May be Taught . Variety Or Notes.
which They VIII Learn Very Quickly.

Csnas1es May be Taught . Variety or Notes
which They VIII Learn Very Quickly.
To think OF music lessons for bird seems
rather odd. for song Is natures Gift to the
feathered folk. Undoubtedly bird Matched
in solitude. and never allowed to hear the
voices OF his kind would express his emotions
in some sort Of musical fashion. But as a
matter OF fact. many, perhaps all. birds are
taught to sing. The American robin and the
whip-poor-will teach their young ones In
both these cases the old bird sings his full song
and waits while the little one with more or
less success imitats it. Over and over tho
parent repeats the notes and the infant tries
to copy them. These are the native teachers.
but birds destined for parlor musicians. as the
Lnllfnch and some others. have human teach
ers. when their music lessons are AZ regular
and their instructors as painstaking as the
wo
panion. Is usually initiative and intellig gent,
and a wonderful capacity for song dwells
There are three distinct ways in which bird
may receive musical education: He may be
sEa s as one S % the
notes Of aspothor bird. as lark sE, :, robin. or
main the canary song through all
o or old ts
OF one Of these little folks must make her
choice Of methods and begin e time. n the
robust heplth, and good spirits. 10 insure
that he sha have
flexible. since no cannot be taught to expand
the chest by deep breathing
therefore. according to this system. seeds
should not be the pFtncpal diet until h9
egg grated with cracker or bread. and boiled
In milk to the consistency Of stin paste. Some
seed may be added. and this may be varied by
have variety OF food and plenty OF it, Tor no is
fo H II about Hs Sr this helps to
expand the chest.
NH% to teach him. R he Is e lie
covered. Then few notes Of the chosen air
ment;-aute. bird organ. OF plano, They must
time. and over ana over till the bird begins to
nor hear the least noise to distract his atten-
ton from tho notes so constantly repeated.
may be Twelve. before the bird learns his les.
rev notes and j, no others FIJI the pupil fsHsats
bt food T" anothsr H praiss LOT
a sens soS Sss sra re- rs
mouths, unless It is carefully repeated to him
every day while moultinR.
II the birds owner wishes her canary to sing
like q lark or robin she must put him under
native instruction, He Is to be placed. with his
cage covered c!osey n room alone With his
dow.. The lark sings for his own pleasure.
and the canary. In his dark ened cage. forced to
pay attention to II, learns to imitaiei II.
One, man, who, kept large number OF
SSanaris,ss tells 81 having one OF them trained
q female a year old-hung alone Ilea the win.
dow. outside which WAS the rotin's tasorlte
he never thought o. training her. and for
weeks she uttered no sound. but listened and
looked ut the singing bird. and one day she
surprised her MASTER ~ giving the robins
pssft Treated IN the way
The third method. and the most natural. IL to
have the young bird trained by q fine singer OF
bis own family-a cnpary-and all that is need
full to do Ia to keep the young one during tho
learning period In the room with the fine
singer alone. when he will follow his copy so
far as his powers allow.
not be disturbed by other sounds, especially
other singing. and that he learns more quickly
II his cage IL covered. 80 that his attention may
not be distracted by seeing anything.
One caution should be Needed. However an
moving or untiD,ely bird's song may be. he
ut him. scolding. or shaking the
sensitive and they are by terror sometimes
thrown into an epilepuc 1T and occasionally
killed. II too noisy. his cage should be quietly
covered. while kind word IL spok rem TO sweeten
the imprisonment In darkness which he must
su9er that his mistress may talk.