The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-08-27


two the bird began to sound a note of
the waltz, then another Soon he COM
bined them, and after time he whis-
tied an entire strain. 1t was nearly 4
year, however. before his education
was complete. Mochingbirds may al
50 be trained in this way. A music
box is very useful, and saves much Ia
Dor in the long course of the birds mu-
steal teaching.
\ Pennsylvania. taught canary
bird to sing ''Home, Sweet Home"
lie placed the canary in room where
it could not hear the singing of other
birls, suspended the cage from the
ceiling s. that it would see its rehec-
ton in the mirror, and beneath the
glass placed musical box regulated
to play CLONE, Sweet Home" Hear
ing no other sounds but this, and be-
licving the music proceeded from the
bird in the mirror, the young canary
soon began to catch the notes, and IL
nally could sing the song perfectly.
In a similar manner an entire novel
ty in the concert-singing department
of musical art is promised to the lovers
of sweet sounds by an ingenious citi-
zen of PhuniXville. South Australia.
This gentleman has, for some years,
devoted himself exclusively to the
training of canary birds in every known
method of vocalization, and, as we
gather from antipodean journals, with
extraordinary success. But he has
recently crowned his triumphs as Il
very Lamperti of feathered songsters
by inventing Il mechanical apparatus
by which his yellow pupils will be
taught to perform music OF Il more re-
condite and complicated character than
mere ballads and opera airs. He pro-
poses, with the aid of this contrivance,
not only to produce canary soloists,
capable of executing airs like dip
Your Chair or Dee Tanty," rs the
immortal .Jcamcs de la Piuche desig-
mated the tiorid displays fashionable in
his day, but to teach his pupils part
singing and the rendering Of the most
difficult modern operate choruses-
These astonishing results are to be at.
tanned by the following process. The
cages in which the professors pupils
reside are hung up in front OF mir
ror behind which is fixed 4 musical
box, which plays the solo, part-songs,
or chorus desired. The birds listen
eagerly to the music, turning their at
tention to the quarter whence it pro
ceeds Their gaze, as in the case of
the educated songster owned by the
Pennsvlvanian named is naturally di-
rected to the mirror, in which they see
the reflection of their own graceful per
sons. At once they hop to the conclu-
sion that their counterfeit present
ments are real live canaries, melodious-
lv engaged in singing the unfamiliar
strains that d>light their ears. From
observation to imitation, it appears
as we have already illustrated lis but
step with the intelligent and tuneful
canary bird He is apt, in concerted
music, to double a part, and betrays 4
predilection for the ''leading business"
but, being gifted with quick car, he
soon recognizes the desirability of fill
ing up the notes wanting to complete
the chords, and adapts himself to har-
monic requirements with artistic
promptitudc. Wagner's "Trilogy,'
performed by a company of canaries,
may thus be an attractive item in the
operate performances in the near fu-
ture.
Among the canary birds that have
been trained to talk is one in the pos
session of Dr. j. MacGrior, of Croft
This teathcred wonder has recently
been visited by the editor of the Medi-
cul Press. lie says he found that the
bird could pronounce sentences in a
manner ''clcarly initiative Of the voice
Of the lady who had care of it since its
| early youth, and that the effect pro-
| duced is almost weird at first; but the
| feelings of wonder thus created quick
| " give rise to sensation of exquisite
| pleasure, which is dcepened as the lit
tie creature suddenly, at the end of a
sentence, rushes Off into an ecstasy OF
song"
| 1t is Il little surprising to find that
the canary, SO superbly endowed by
nature with musical taste and skill
will condescend on occasion to initiate
! t.la unmclodious tones of the human
voice: vet other instances can be cited
to prove that he does So \ cores
| pondcnt of Lund and Water mentions
Il canary owned by an old lady resid-
inc in Stafford. near Bath, which was
able to pronouncc several words with
remarkable distinctncSs. At the con-
clusion of its songs the bird nearly al
ways said: X iss. kiss. Miss Lizzie
kiss, kiss!'
One day canary bird found the wa,
ter in its glass too low to drink, and
after several unsuccessful efforts to
quench its thirst, hopped back to the
! perch to reflect upon the matter. In
| the course of Il few minutes it suddenly
| turned round, pulled loose teath =