Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-01-30
TRAGEDY IN THE BIRD CAGE.
Paris Doctors Experiment and its
Dramatic Result.

Dramatic Result.
1t was an OrnithOlOgist who told us
that the study of bird life had con-
WINGED him Of the fact that no other
part of the animal kingdom, excepting
his own, presented such attractive
traits of conjugaI feeling and nuptial
bliss as did the feathered tribes of field
and forest. All the phenomena of love
and passion exhibited in the inter-
course of the human sexes he sees re
dected and exemplified in the conduct
of his winged friends. Lovers Of
birds, even though they may have OBJ
served their favorites in their cages,
will easily agree with him, and many
a romantic story is on record concern
ing the power that Cupid yields over
this division of the animal domain.
A new bird romance comes to us from
Paris, reported by DR.. Paul Desjardins
of that city:
The physicians study was enlivened
by two pairs Of birds, kept in separate
cages, one of canaries, the other Of
parrakeets, the small parrots which,
from their mutual attachment and am
-orous disposition, are called "inseper-
ables" One DAY the female canary
died, followed soon afterward by the
male parrot Knowing that the lat
ter's mate would not long outlive the
loss of her husband and die from grief
and starvation, as is usual with that
species, DR.. Desjardins thought he
would try to save the widow. So he
transferred the male canary to her
desolate habitation. Monsieur Canary,
true to his male instinct, seemed TO
comprehend the situation, sang his
sweetest songs and began to clay am
liable siege to the honesty of Mr.. Par
rot's wife," as Shakespeare would say.
His artful wooing soon reused tne
widow from her melancholy. Nine
Parrot brushed up her bronzed waist,
nervously shook her green skirt, be-
gan to feed and with her fluted notes
to accompany her golden-robed
friends bewitching tunes.
The doctor, however, who wanted to
perpetuate the canary's breed, hit upon
the plan of adding another female OF
the same stock to the happy couple.
The tickle singer received the new
guest in a most cordial manner, While
Nine. Parrot at first jealousy belab-
ored the rival with her crooked bill,
reception which Lady Canary vigor-
ously objected to by both voice and
wing. The pacific lays Of Monsieur
aided in restoring harmony, and for
awhile things went on in the most
amiable way. before long Lady Ca
nary laid her eggs and commenced to
breed. And now the utter depravity
and insconstancy of her philogamous
.consort was exhibited by traits typical
of his sex, even in stages Of higher
evolution. Instead of bringing food
to his Matching mistress or relieving
her occasionally M. Canary continued
flirting, hopping and warblfng around
Nine. Parrot, absolutely unmindful OF
his paternal duties and responsibility.
On the other hand, the triumph of fe-
male instincts and feminine superior
lty glOriously shone forth in the con-
duct Of the widow Nine. Parrot not
only fed Lady Canary, but frequently
relieved her by spreading her green
velvet plumage over the eggs until
a number of wide-open bills stretched
forth from the tiny nest. But even
then the deceitful creature who had
caused all this anxiety and trouble did
not repent. Vainly the canary mother
reminded the culprit of his duty by
futtering, croaking and direct menace.
He only treated herself and her nest
Iings with contempt and derision. He
went to the extent of abusing and NAL
treating her. One morning DR. Des-
iardins found the mother lying dead
on, the floor of the cage beside her
lifeless brood.
Their is no lack of resemblance be-
tween this tragedy of the cage and the
dramas of the stage, may the latter be
fictitious or drawn from real life. The
romance from bird life faithfully mir.
rors many male miscreants, and If it
throws a sort of melancholy halo
around two females it implies, also,
solemn warning for maidenhood and
wifehood in a sort Of parabolic Ian
guage from birdlike Bohemia.