22 CANARY-BIRD. 



the slightest sign of life. A second was 

 an expert and excellent balancer, perform- 

 ing evolutions while standing upon his 

 head with his claws elevated. A third 

 imitated the peculiar action of a milk- 

 maid, going and returning from market, 

 bearing a small milk-pail upon his shoulder. 

 A fourth mimicked a Venetian demoiselle, 

 looking from the window and nodding to 

 the bystanders, in a manner exceedingly 

 piquante and amusing. A fifth appeared 

 as a soldier, with a minute musket, and 

 mounted guard, in the character of a sen- 

 tinel. The sixth was likewise a soldier, 

 and sustained the character of a can- 

 nonier, wearing a military cap on his head, 

 bearing a fire-lock on his shoulder, arid 

 concluding his portion of the performance 

 by taking a match and discharging a little 

 cannon. The same bird, at another time, 

 fell as if wounded by a shot from the ene- 

 my; suffered itself to be placed in a little 

 wheel-barrow by its companions and taken 

 to the hospital; and from thence took wing 



