A CHARMING CAPTIVE 287 



An interesting case of a bird making up 

 a song of his own without instruction, is that 

 of a captive catbird reared from the nest in 

 the heart of an old New England town, and 

 never having an opportunity to hear any 

 other bird, and so get any musical hints. He 

 was and is, for he is alive at this writing 

 a great pet and very tame, the constant 

 companion of a mother and daughter who 

 spend most of their time in the room with 

 him, and talk to him constantly. Out of his 

 surroundings and his own " inner conscious- 

 ness " he has evolved a song. It is, of course, 

 in the tone and manner of his race, but it is 

 curiously original, reproducing many of the 

 sounds about him, and even several short 

 sentences of the human language as plainly 

 as any parrot. " Hello, little boy ! " and 

 " Hello, sweetheart ! " common greetings of 

 his fond mistress, are pronounced perfectly. 

 The true American " Hurry up! Hurry up! " 

 caught from the children on the street, as his 

 cage hung near an open window, and " Baby 

 boy ! " are other of his articulate utterances. 

 The interesting thing about all these is, that 

 they form part of his song, and are not 



