The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-11
TEACHING BIRDS.
An interesting Operation That
Requires Much Patience.
4 Specially Constructed Organ Il Also
Necessary for the P1rpose-Soms
of the Airs Employed In
the Lessons,

Probably not one reader in 1000 eve,
heard OF q bird organ" or saw
one. They are made only in France
and are imported to this country
in small numbers, as dealers in mu
sical boxes have few calls for them
and generally send for them only upon
orders from customers. They are
made solely for teaching tunes to
canaries and bullfnches. A wooden
box about foot square contains a
large roller covered with pasteboard
upon which brass pins are set accord
ing to the system used in preparing
the rolls of music boxes. Beneath the
roller is small pair of bellows, and in
the back of the box is set row of ten
metal pipes about the size Of a long
lead pencil. When the crank on the
outside of the box is rapidly turned
wind is forced into the pipes, as the
valves open when the metal tongue be-
longing to each is struck by a pin on the
roller. The music is therefore pro-
duced on the principle of a set OF
Pans pipes, and is very shrill and high,
yet sweet and full.
The ten notes produced by the ten
pipes range from middle G in the staff
to B, above, or an octave and three notes.
That is, the bird music is written in the
octave used in the musical notation
for the human voice, but properly
would be written in an octave higher
when comparing the voice of canary
with the voice of a soprano. However,
tho quality of the tones differ SO great
ly that the shrill, clear pipe of the bird
makes its voice sound as if it were
pitched much higher than is really the
case.
The bird organ" is pitched in exact
" the same tone and key as the voice
of the canary, or perhaps this is put.
ting the cart before the horse, for the
bird strikes faultlessly the key and
tone of the pipes. It is more accurate
to say, after all, that on the hand the
organs are pitched to be with the ca
nary's voice, as the result Of the ex-
perience of the builders, and that the
canary shows wonderful power Of i'm
tation in falling in with the tone quail
ties of its teacher. If one note in the
organ is OF the key in the slightest de-
yree the bird takes the same tone, and
f it once learns that note wrong it
will always carry the blemish in the
harmony. All Of the airs used in these
organs are written in the keys of G,
ne sharp, or in c, and as they have
,n]y the range Of. ten notes, from e
% b, it is very difficult to adapt many
unes to the limitations OF canary
music. y -, u $50
There is dealer in music boxes on
.idge avenue who sells "bird organs"
nd writes music for the canary teach
rs. He has q drawer filed with man
script music which he has arranged for
lsc in these ''bird organs" and he also
uts tunes to order On the rollers. He
las bird organs which pipe a reper-
DIRE of seven airs, with "Mulligan
iuards," Yankee Doodle" "a Dream
f Love-" Lucy Gray" 'Down Went
icGinty," and you Can't Play in My
iard," all on one roller.
'One tune is all that man tries to
each a canary. he said, "and he will
ever let the bird hear more than that
De.- He keeps the bird in quiet room
Thile he is teaching it and doesn't let it
ear the voice of another bird. A ca
ary's brain is not very big, and he gets
is musical memory tangled it he hears
aore than the same old tune. I have
card Of birds that could whistle two
i,s, but these are very rare, and it is
risky undertaking. For when q
ird is working on the second tune
e is likely to get mixed with
he first, and then all your troubles
one for nothing. It's simply q ques-
on Of time and patience. You've just |
OF to play the tune on the organ as
ften as you get a chance; the more
be better; you'll grind away for two
r three months, or longer, perhaps for |
tx months. 90 .- ,.-
eff you have the luck to get a bright |
ird, he'll begin to notice the tune in |
hrce months. At first he'll sing two Or |
aree bars, then falter and start over |
gain. When he has learned the air all |
ne way through his voice is weak and |
ncertain, but it gets stronger and
lore confident all the time. When he |
nee picks it up your troubles are over.
rs simply a matter Of time and prac-
ce then. It's all luck in getting a
right bird with a good ear, and the
xeetest singer may turn out failure
) trained soloist. Bullinches are cas-
r to teach, but they are so short-lived
iat the results are scarcely worth the
rouble. A canary will keep his voice
nd memory for eight or ten years,
nd he makes the sweetest music in
ne world"
The Germans patience and love OF
lusic make him most successful in the
raining Of canaries. and nearly all
the schooled songsters in Philadel-
hia have been educated by Germans.
he man has sold several at an average
rice Of about 500. There are many
lrious industries in a great city, but
one more unusual than the educating
canaries, and the adding 10 ones In
,me by selling bird organs" and writ
lg music for these little soprano stars.
he music furnished is very simple, and
grace, notes. runs and
uavers are ruled out. But the adapter
Is not an easy task with his imitation
key and range. and earns all that he
aims in this unique fashion. Occa-
onally a customer calls for an ail
hich the adapter discovers cannot be
ispted to the vocal powers of the
lnary, and is obliged to find satisfac-
NJ substitute. Home. Sweet Home