The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-13
TRICK FOR PET BIRDS.

Kissing, Balancing, Climbing Ladders
 Circus Acts.
 The bright birds learn to perform simple tricks as readily as a puppy or kitten, says a writer in St. Nicholas.
 It is common mistake to think that pets can be taught only when hungry, and to commence birds by depriving it of breakfast dinner or supper is a most unhappy beginning.
 To take bird in your hand don't open the cage and grab for it at ran dom. This excites the tiny creature and teaches it to dread your arrival. First take out the top perch, slip one hand inside of the cage and follow the bird outside the cage with the other.
 When caught hold 1t very, very gently between the hands, and tightly for birds cannot endure squeezing or an kind of pressure. Allow 1t to settle Its feet comfortably on one cf your fingers, talking to 1t in a low, eoaxing tone, and after few minutes return it to the cage.
 Some little treat should be given as. you put it back, such as leaf of let tuce, a bit of apple or fig. Fruits and green tldbits are the candy of the bird world Repeat this every morn ing for short time.
 Next teach the little fellow to hop on your hand of his own free will. You can easily tempt him into doing this by placing a leaf of lettuce or some other dainty of which he is fond on your palm and holding your hand just outside the open door of the cage. The coveted morsel will help him to overcome any lingering fears he may have of you or of the room
 Another time he may be wheedled into mounting your shoulder, This trick is readily taught by pinning a lettuce leaf to the sleeve of the coat or gown.
 A simple trick which most birds learn readily is that of kissing the master or mistress. Place between your lips a seed or some edible which the pet especially likes, and let it re- move the morsel with it's bill. It will learn after little practice to come to your shoulder and to kiss you
 A clever little canary called Tiddly- winks was trained to feed his master with hemp seeds before beginning on his own breakfast. This Is an interest ing little stunt which other intelligent birds could readily pick up. Two or , three of the hemp seeds for the mas ter were placed in the seed cup with the canary food.
 When he placed the cup in the cage the owner would say, "Tiddlywlnks, master wants this breakfast" The little creature would immediately find one of the hemp seeds and bring it to the door of the cage, which was opened. a6 q
 Flying to the finger held out for Him to perch upon. Tiddly would shell the seed and place the kernal between the owners lips. This was repeated until the supply of hemp was exhausted, after which the clever pet returned to enjoy his own meal
 Some very pretty tricks of the more unusual order are performed by birds belonging to Miss Virginia Pope, the bird doctor A charming one is climb- ing a ladder.
 For this, coax the bird to hop first on one finger of the left hand, we will say, to one on the right. Then raise both hands one above the other so that in hopping from the index finger of the left to that of the right hand, or vice versa, the suggestion of climb ing ladder will be given.
 Lift one hand over the other sever.N