The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-01-23
CANARIES THAT TALK.
[''Listener" in the Boston Transcript

('Lstener" in the Boston Transcript
Talking canaries were quite a special
ty with the Listener three and four
years ago. The story of the Rockland,
(Me.) canary, who was accustomed to
address the ladies of the family with
the charming greeting, pretty darling,
come and kiss me-" had been elected
by similar statements from other COZ
respondents previously sent in concer-
ming canaries in this neighbOrnooo
achieving similar astounding feats.
A commissioner of the Listeners, in
the summer of 1904, called upon the
Rockland lady possessing the Wonoer
of that town and satisfied himself tnat
there had been no exaggeratlon or at
tempt to mislead in the astonishing
statements as published in this column.
Our commissioner, on his account al
lowed the lady, Mrs. C. e. Chandler, to
tell the story in her own words. Inc
bird had been very sick in mounting Tor
weeks and she had been in the habit OF
holding it in her hands and saying,
"Baby is SICK" and the like.
One day l was sitting alone in my
room, the canary perched on the back
of nv chair. AL at once little piping
voice was heard, "Baby is sick" There
was no one in the room. L was VIDE
awake, and knew it could not be a
dream. ! knew the bird had talked;
When my husband came home l tod
him W hat had occurred He laughed
at me and SAID it was my imagination,
but | asked HIM to hear for himself.
Soon was heard the thin piping voice,
"Baby is sick.'' My husband mar
yelled, but was convinced, 81 were the
neiehbors, Who came III from time to
time. Since then Sankey has learned
nany other words, his vocabulary now
consisting of thirty-seven different
words.
Charley is not yet two years old, but
has vocabulary OF twenty tour WORDS.
Both birds sing very plainly, He was
his mothers beauty darling, just as
pretty as he can be, and live, live, live. y
This is rather long sentence for Ca
nary, and hearing, one maryelS at the
plainness of each word.
Mrs. Chandler has another blrd-a
female, Sankey took a great dislike
to her. and it wasn't long before he was
singing in most decided tone. 1T is
lust like her: | dislike her; she is the
meanest old thing" Mrs. Chandler
holds many conversations with them,
something like as follows?"
Mrs. Chandler "Who are you?''
The Birds. "Mother's beauty
Mrs. Chandler what are you?"
The Birds. 'Just as pretty as can be
and live"
Though none equalled the RockIand
case, it appeared that there were sever
al Of these marvels of canary conversa-
tionalists in various parts OF New
England. 1t would not be strange If
the bird from New Brunswick descrlb-
ed in the Transcript recently were
descendant or near relative OF some
one of them. Professor Underwood OF
the Institute of Technology discovered
him during his last summers vacation
in the New Brunswick woods. HE
published account of the circumstances
of his find is accompanied 10y the re-
mark that "onIy one other ms ance OF
canary which has had the power of
speech is given much credence by natu-
ralists, ard that bird hved so mauy
centuries ago that the facts ale STROUD
ed in mystery" and it is added that
it has "ntvtr been claimed tor any
other canary to which speech has been
attributed that 1t spoke more than two
words.' These sCientltic-s seeming dlcta
throw some light on the broad grounds
for the Hindu pundjts' serene lndltter-
ence to and contempt for our modern
science AS COMPARED with their ancient
lore. They vii! lave 1t hat modern
science is nothing but a progressive
lediscovery of things the Hmdus have
known for ages, AS, for instance. the