Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-09-28
TALKING BIRDS,

iSL NHN 'hC CAC Va a 10"
riends one event rg, our conversation
having run poI singing birds and
their powers o. speaking. Well, L will
tell you, having studied the subject a
little. l should say about eight or
nine possibly, who IrOssess the ear and
power of mlInicry, and initiating the
voice of other birds and sounds. But
l have not known all these to have pos
sessed the power of speech. should
ay that gift was confined TO abolt five,
beginning OF course with the parrot.
Second to that bird is certainly the
mynsh, or mind-bIrd of India. I pro-
fer his voice myself to the parrot. He
is a pretty or sture, his color being a
deep velvet black, with the exception
of a mark on the base of the quill
feathers of the wing. The bill aud
legs are yellow, and from the eye to
the back of the head are two wattles.
of bright yellow color. Well, as l
sal 4 before, 1 prefer his talking powers
III preference 10 the well-known grey
parrot You may doubtless have no
ticed certsi hollowness about the
voice of the parrot, which, to my
mind, is not so perceptible IN the my
nah. OF course it always is so more
or less with all birds, as that well-used
instrument in the human body, the
tongue, does not come into play with
birds at all, so naturalists say. The
voice and formation of words no doubt
comes straight from the larynx, so the
tongue takes no part in uttering
sounds. The vocal organs of birds
are attracted to the termination OF
the trachea, or wind-pipe. There
are four pairs, or muscles, at
Ia he'd to the windpipe in singing
and talking birds, whereas in the
stork there are none, showing and ac-
counting for the entire absence OF
voice IN that bird. There is a mem.
branous tongue at the opening of the
Iarynx, which no doubt helps to modu-
late and articulate words.
You may have heard of ignorant peo-
pie splitting the tongue of singing birds
under the impression that it will give
value to their notes; but | need scarce
II say that it is a very cruel and useless
practice, from winch more often than
not bird dies. Carefully watch any
talking birds, aud you will then see that
the voice comes from the throat al
though the Rev. J. c. Wood, in his
JCHhcrCd Friends. says the construction
OF the bill and tongue and other cores
pOnding organs of the parrot, is very cur
ious, as ii is that construction, together
with Its implanted initiative instinct.
which enables it to give utterauce to
articulate sounds. The resonance oi
human sounds Is produced by the hol-
low construction of the beak, and
the thick feshy tongue gives its
aid in tie formation of consonants.
But naturalists say the tongue has
nothing whatever to do with it, so al
present We trust to their knowledge as
/ think they have settled the ones
ton.
Many are the interesting anecdotes
one naturally hears in conversation
with those who take in terest In cur
dear little featheIed friends. But /
should like to see our little birds bet
ter understood. People like them and
pet them, but don't study them. L am
often astonished at the ignorance OF
some folks with the advantages we
have now in natural history
literature. My esteemed friend Mr.,
Wolf, the well-known animal
painter, tells me it is not so in Ger
many. He sa 8 people there are much
lupEt GullHuitLtu VI nun
illogical study, and even at the small
est cottage door you will see little boys
teaching their bullfinches to pipe. 1
often have a delightful evening with
MIR. Wolf, and many are the pleasant
stories he has to tell. He possessed
one little iackdaw who could initiate
any sound that was repeated a few
times within his hearing. For instance,
when he got up from his easel to see to
his fire IN his stove, he had habit of
tapping his pipe upon it. to clear it
before charging it again, when the
echo of the sound was sure to come
from some corner of the studio, where
Master Jack would sit watching his
master. OF course. jackkawlike, he
got into all sorts of mischief; but when
taught young they will learn a great
deal, although they are not the best
takers of the crow tribe.
1t has often struck me as odd that
the power of speech should be confined
to few small birds, when Sally. the
ape that used to charm us at the Zoo
logical SocIety's Gardens, had been
taught to count as far as ten by pick
ing de lred number of straws from
the bed she sat on, and could distin-
guIsh the difference between little
piece OF apple and big piece, When
told to take the smaller, she could do
so without q moments hesitation.
Why, that is clearly understanding
Yet not a word could she utter OF be
taught, although she appeared to learn
anything else readily enough
Now the little jackdaw, with all his
impudent cleverness, has no such great
reasoning power. The late Rev. J. G
Wood gives an instance of this in his
anecdotes Of Birds. A jsckdaw he was
watching was carrying long stick to
his nest in the hollow of an oak tree.
Well, he held by his bill in the middle,
but could not get it through, and he
had not the sense to take 1t at one end
and try again, but, after a number of
Intellectual efforts, gave it up, quite ex-
hausted and went for another, perhaps
with the same result, except by acci-
dent he might have been successful.
So we must accept things as they are,
as it is intended no doubt for the best.
l have given few sketches of birds
that | have known-the two mynahs,
one of which is unfortunately dead;
but the one still living can be seen
any uayJ anu Ho VIII dHOru great
deal OF amusement to all those who
would like to hear him. He will prob
ABLY address you by "Who are you?"
'What do yon want?" "How are you?"
''Good morning, PollyI' BE quieti"
''All rightl'' etc. His words are quite
distinct, and uttered quite humorously.
And then, perhaps, if you should be
unfortunate enough to have a cough,
he will mimic you, ] recollect an old
gentleman once came into the house
while l was there sketching. and 1 was
very much amused to see his face when
he heard somebody addressing him, as
he thought-"Hallo! Who are you?"
He thought was speaking to him, as
L was apparently the only person in the
house. So | pointed out to him from
whence the voice came, and he ap-
proached the cage and began to laugh