The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1908-05-21
pARnnR SHOP bird SHOW.
Bird That Sings on It's Back and An.
other That Gives Warning OF Cats.

If the nature faker would find new
material he has only to go over to
a barber shop in Clark street, Brook
lyn, and there he will learn some-
thing more wonderful than that a
wolf can bite a stag to the heart.
The proprietor and sole artist of that
barber shop has fancy for birds
from South America. The birds are
from two German naturalists. friends
OF the barber, who are collecting in
the Amazon country. There are about
fifteen birds there now.
Take Major, for instance. He is
n little bird, white and black with
a red head and neck. whose cage
hangs in the window where IL is
sunny. Major likes to play kitten.
All that the barber has to do to make
Major happy is to open the cage door
and put his finger inside. Major
will hop of his perch and make for
that finger with bill and claws.
Majors way Is like the Kittens.
He will turn on his back and claw
at the finger gleefully, then when his
feathers are tickled up under his
throat Major does the most surpris-
ing thing of all. He carols as he
never carols at any other time.
OF course 1t is no trick to see
bird sing on his feet. But, heed this
all nature takers, Major sings at his
best lying on his back, and he will
continue to sing just as long as the
barber's finger is ruffling the feathers
on his breast. Then when the play is
over Major will remain mute for the
most part the rest of the day.
Over in the other window Is big
orange and black bird who knows
but one friend, but who knows that
friend under any circumstances. This
friend is an elderly man who comes
to the barber shop every morning
with a piece OF corn bread for the
Brazilian singer.
The appearance of this gentleman
in the shop or on the street in front
is always heralded by sharp, ring
ing note from the bird, entirely diff
ferent from any other note he utters.
The bird ruffies his feathers at the
throat, hops about on his perch in a
AOA NOuO AoohlOh anu ltpCdlC0iy
with that single penetrating treble
as long as his friend is in sight.
No matter what hour of the day
1t is, as long as there is any light
in the sky this man cannot pass the
window of the barber shop either on
foot or in a conveyance without being
spotted by the bird, who heralds his
passing with every sign of joy. The
man has tried passing the shop with
his coat collar muffiing his face, but
the same cry of welcome came from
the bird watcher at the window. In
the evening when the lights in the
barber shop are lighted and one with
in cannot well distinguish the faces
of passersby this yellow and black
Brazilian citizen never fails to spot
his friend when he passes.
This same bird has cat warning
call which 1t has taught the BARRIERS
dog to understand. In summer when
the window before the birds cage
is open and a prowling cat ON the
sidewalk outside, nearly flush with
the window of the sunken shop,
might take chance jump at the
cage this bird is on the alert. When
ever cat comes in sight he lets out
a peculiar string of sharp staccato
notes and terrier which has learned
the signal, makes a dash for the door.
Affidavits to the truth of this fact
can be found at any time at the desk
of the st. George.
Until very recently the barber had
a very rare bird in his collection. 1t
was the anvil bird, which came from
the far interior Amazon region. Its
call gave 1t the name. When the
bird really got into action the sound
was identical with that of hammer
on steel. The bird would start with
a few short raps in quick succession
and then end its call with deep, full
throated booms that seemed to be
the ringing of a wagon tire struck
with sledge. Unfortunately Brook
lyn climate did not agree with the
anvil bird and he died
Aside from these freaks of the bird
family there are many other little
strangers from the far South who
keep up constant cooling and warb-
ling that makes conversation on the
part of the barber not only unneces-
sary but a positive desecration.-