Evening star., 1898-07-16
Many of the Finest Canaries are
Taught to Sing. =
BRINGING THEM ACROSS THE Sea
Best Trained Warblers Come From
the Hartz Mountains
SCENES IN A BIG AVIARY


the city is often the home of considerable
numbers OF song birds gathered from ali
quarters Of the globe. On the East side,
in 4th street, there are several remarkable
aviaries where, without doubt, q study of
one branch of ornithology be pursued
under conditions more favorable than else
where on this continent, and a visit to one
OF these bird conservatories of music is
better than trip to the fields woods
to listen to the songs of the wild warblers.
The owner of the aviary is a German
more than probable from some little vii
lage in the Hartz mountains. where bird
raising is the chief industry-and he not
only feeds and tends his little birds with
loving care, but teaches them to whistle
and sing in tune to the accompaniment of
an old reed organ or flute
There are several large importing houses
of song birds in New York, and in the
busy season they employ from twenty to
forty travellers, who go back and forth
from Europe to purchase the pick of the
canarfeS. bullhnches and other European
songsters. The consignments come chiefly
from Germany and England. Nearly all of
the canaries raised in the world for cage
purposes como from these two countries,
and most of the German exporting houses
have distributing branches in New York.
The birds are sent over by steamer in
large consignments, under the charge of
an expert care-tender, who does nothing
else but feed and doctor the little pets
man can take charge of five large crates,
each tne containing two hundred. and ten
cages OF birds, or little over thousand
In all. Sometimes during the rush season
the care-tender has five hurricane deck
ers to watch, or fourteen hundred cages
and birds to look after during the long
hours of the days and nights.
Canaries on Shipboard.
That this work is not easy, any one who
has had the privilege of looking after a
Tcr
stand. Feeding and watering over a HUI
sand birds, and cleaning out their cases
every day, makes up routine Of work on
shfpboard that begins at 4 o'clock in the
morning and does not end until late in the
afternoon When seasickness makes life
miserable for the passengers, the canaries
are apt to be uncomfortable in their crowd
ed quarters Sometimes a disease known
as schnappen" breaks out among the can
aries at such times, and as this is fearfully
contagious. 1t sweeps through the crowded
bird quarters on shipboard and decimates
the ranks at a terrible rate. Cases are
known where only ten birds have survived
out OF an importation OF 800 to 1000 the
disease performing Its terrible work in a
weeks time This is supposed to be caused
as much by the overcrowded and poorly
ventilated condition of the birds quarters
as by the rolling of the ship. If you ask
Fritz If his birds get seasick, he will an
swer emphattca1ly, No." but he will add
softly to himself ''schnappen." And in that
Word is conveyed much of meaning that
the lay mind cannot appreciate
When the imported birds arrive in port
they are hurried Immediately to the i'm
porting houses, to the different quiet
aviaries in the German quarters where ex-
Perienced bird-raisers take them in charge.
III IS at this latter place that one may make
an inspection of the singers which are des-
tIhed 10 carry song and delight into SO
many homes. Most of them are trained
birds. and they sing and whistle to perfec-
ton, and all that their German attendant
nd
~ II disease breaks out among them he
Is supposed to know just what to do and
IN most instances he does prove an expert
bird doctor.
Receive Careful Training
In the mating and breeding season. how
ever, young birds appear in the gre.
sVtary which must be taught to sing ar
whistle accurately. Most people imapir
that all the perfection of song cage-birds is
Inherited. and they would be surprised to
learn the amount of labor bestowed upo
them In order to make their tunes accu
ate The young birds that have the proper
soIces Tor great artists are trained In the
most careful manner. In the Hartz noun
tains' where canary training reaches its
hlghest development, the throat and voice
OF each young canary are tested, and those
selected for the highest training are set
apart by themselves. They are sent TO a
schooi of instruction that Is unique in its
meinods- AT the head Of the school is
o AudreaSberg
type. which strikes the right note for ali
ins youngsters to initiate. The young
blros are taken into the room In their
cages, with cloth draped over them to shut
Out the Hght until the proper time has
come Tor singing. Then the light is admit
Ied and the teacher begins her warhling
me young birds, which have probably
never yet attempted to pipe leave off their
feeding and listen to the marvellous ont
ourst or pure song. They become uneasy
ana enraptured, and in a short time they
a 9 ha 1-,r
cradle failures for many days EyentuaIIv
some OF them strike the right note, and AZ
the end OF the week the most promising
ones are separated from the rest and
placed In rooms with the best singers In
lnls way their voices gradually culti-
'a'ea' and new songs are taught them
In the Hartx Mountains.
ihere are several such schools for ca
naries in New York. but they are devoted
entirely to the comparatively few canaries
raised for the trade in this country. Most
OF those imported have already teen trained
10 sing accurately, although after their
long sea voyage they need a little extra
training TO bring their voices to perfection
ne best trained Canaries are the ST An
Creasberg canaries, whose notes are con-
soereo the finest Of any In existence. Orig
HaIly THESE notes were obtained by placing
nightingale in the breeding room of the
young canaries. and the natural clear
toned voices quickly blended the song in
mi,a thetr natural notes In time by care
fui breeding and selection. the present type
OF the st. Andreasberg canary was pro-
ouoed, but the pure, braeing air OF the
hartz mountains Is considered necessary
1or me proper development of one of these
superb singers. A true st. Andrea sberp
singer cannot. it is believed by bird train.
ers. be reared outside of the Hart, noun
tains, and IL is claimed that only a out ten
Per cent OF those raised in their native
place ever pass the critical examination of
the Judges They are sold according to the
perfection of their song power, the best
imported bringing as much as S2S to so
apiece. and ordinary as little as "a to
% As rule, they are very small and in
slgnincaTt looking birds, and not until
they have opened their little throats TO
sing does enc comprehend their mission In
life 49,
German Builhnches.
The German bullhnches are imported into
this country in larger numbers every year.
ard. as they are trained with the greatest