Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-02-02
TRAGEDY IN THE BIRD CAGE.
Paris Doctors Experiment and Its
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 coniugal feeling and nuptial
bliss rs 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 secs re-
elected and eXempliticd In the conduct
OF his winged friends. Lovers VI
birds. even though they may have oh
served their favorItes In their cages,
will easily agree with him, and many
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 Desjardns
Of that city:
The physicians study was cnltvened
by two pairs OF birds. kept In separate
cages. one Of canarlos, the other OF
parrakects, the small parrots which,
from their mutual attachment and am
orous disposition, are called "lnseper-
ables" One day the female canary
died, followed soon afterward by tho
male parrot. Knowing that the lat
ter's mate would not long outllve the
loss of her husband and die from srlef
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 habtation. Monsieur Canary,
true to his male instinct, seemed to
comprehend the situation, sang his
sweetest songs and began to LAY am
liable siege to the honesty OF Mr. Par
rot's wife" MS Shakespeare would say.
His artrul wooing soon reused the
widow from her melancholy, Nine.
Parrot brushed up her bronzcd waist,
neryously shook her green skirt, be-
gan to feed and with her nutcd notes
to accompany her golden-rohed
friends bewitchng tunes,
The doctor. however. who wanted to
perpetuatc the canary's breed, hit upon
the same stock to the happy couple
The fcllo singer received the new
guest In u most cordial manner. while
Nine. Parrot at first jealously belab-
ored the rival with her crooked bill, n
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 deprnvity
ana insconstancv OF her phllogamous
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 NJ. Canary continued
firtlng, hopping and warblIng around
Nine Parrot. absolutely unmlndful OF
his paternal duties and responsibility
On the other hand, the triumph OF fe-
male instincts and feminine superior
ity glorIously shonc 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 culprlt OF his duty by
asttering, croaklng and direct menace.
He only treated herself and her nest.
lings with contempt and derlslon. He
went to the extent OF abusing and NAL
treating her. One morning Or Des-
jardins found the mother lying dead
on the floor OF the cage beside her
lIfeless brood.
Their IL 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 mlscreants. and II II
throws sort OF melancholy halo
around two females II implies, also,
solemn warning for maldenhood and
wifehood In n sort OF parabolic Ian
guago from birdlike Bohemia.