The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-11-19
TRICK FOR PET BIRDS.
TEACHING THE CANARY. GOLD
FINCH AND SiekIN.
They VIII Learn to Draw Up Water When
They Are rhirsty-A Very Taking
Performancs-How to Ar
range the Cage.

There arc undoubtedly some lady
readers that have q pet bird they
would like to teach some pretty tricks
but do not know how to 60 to work
to do It An easy trick to teach q
canary. goldflnch or siskin is to make
them draw up a bucket OF water when
they wish to drink.
1t is a very taking performance.
and when bird is once taught TO do
1t nicely he is always sure OF an in
terested audience when he is about to
take drink.
Any cage with wooden frame can
easily be made over for the purpose.
Construct bay window out OF few
strips of wood and pieces OF wire and
fasten 1t on one end OF the cage
first removing the wires from that
end OF the cage SO that bay window
and cage will be all In one room. so
to speak. Cut half inch round hole
or larger. In the bottom OF the bay
window and fix small perch In front
OF 1t as shown. A wooden bucket
should be used. 1t can easily be made
by taking O. piece OF hard wood and
boring hole into the end about half
an inch deep and then whiting 1t
down thin SO as to form a wooden
thimble. Ordinary metal thimbles
can be used, but unless they are OF
silver or gold the metal corrodes in
the water and makes 1t unhealthy for
the bird TO drink. Wood is best and
Is easily formed. For bale to the
bucket use piece OF silver wire,
P.ocurable at any jewelry store.
For a permanent chain one OF the
same material is not very expensive
and can be found In styles fine and
light enough for the purpose at very
small cost Irvine can be used in its
place at first but the bird is quite
easily tangled up In it as 1t slides
back after he has drank.
Now hang small cup directly un-
derneath the hole In the bay window
as shown. by couple OF small brass
chains or strings and the arrange
mont is complete.
The bird to be trained should be-
put into the cags and allowed to be-
come thoroughly accustomed to it be-
fore his education is attempted. Place
drinking cup In the bay window. SO
he will become accustomed to going
there for drink. After he seems
at home in his new quarters hang the
cup underneath the bay window but
up SO near 1t that the bird can reach
down and through the hole and drink.
In day or two lower II little and
place the bucket In the we'll with Just
enough string attached to it to allow
1t to fall into the water and HILL
The bird. II he has ordinary intel
ligence. will soon see what II Is for
and will use it although his first at
doubtless have to work hard for
drink. He should be carefully
watched. and II he makes too bad
work OF 1t he should be taken out and
another bird tried. Some birds can
never be taught anything.
But II the little fellow seems to
comprehend matters and the major
ity will lower the bucket a little
IRON time to time as his education
progresses until he is obliged to
draw 1t up nearly foot
1t is best to have the hole in the
bay window little larger than the
bucket and then put wire across 1t
so the latter cannot come up through.
1t will probably be found that the
bird will gradually become thor
ough trick bird and will be playing
all sorts OF tricks such as pulling the
bucket up in such a way as to make
it stick at the top and thus keep q
.,,n,l,, ~ xy tor IN hand IL l.
tonishing what intelligence the little
fellows will show in working the af-
fair. .
The writer had siskin once that
would look down carefully through
the hole and see II the bucket was
caught half way down as 1t sometimes
would be, before he drew 1t up. II so
he would proceed to shake the chain
with his bill until the bucket dropped
into the water and was filed. Then
up it would come with surprising rap
idity.
The bird accomplishes the feat by
pulling up n length Of the chain with
his bill and then holding it with his
foot Then he takes another hold with
his bill, and so on until the bucket
reaches him. This he holds by his foot
until his thirst is appcased and as he
jumps off down goes the bucket into
the we'll.
The goldfinch and siskin are more
easily taught and seem to do the trick
little better than the canary.
The birds whose Nests Mon Eat.