THE JAVA SPARROW. 119 



able, teachable little creature, and advantage is 

 too often taken of his docility, to train him to the 

 performance of many absurd tricks, the execution 

 of which must, at first, have been difficult and 

 painful, though use may have rendered them 

 comparatively easy. 



The individual Java Sparrow with which we 

 chance to be the best acquainted, happens, much 

 to our satisfaction, to be free from any of these 

 accomplishments. He is a gentlemanly bird, 

 unskilled in any art which would fit him for 

 stage exhibition at a country fair. For some 

 years he has found a tranquil home in the quiet 

 retreat wherein he now dwells : stationed, during 

 the winter, in a sunny window, or, in severe 

 weather, in the warmest corner of the apartment, 

 he passes the cold season pleasantly away, often 

 cheering his mistress by a short, sweet song, 

 almost as soft and low as the faintest notes of an 

 ^Eolian harp. When summer comes, the cage of 

 the little eastern captive is still seen in the win- 

 dow, then embowered with flowering shrubs. He 

 seems aware of the presence of his mistress, 

 answering her call by a gentle chirp. She has 

 often said, that she believed her little favourite 

 was quite insensible to the charms of music. On 

 one occasion, however, he evinced a lively inter- 

 est in it. A wandering musician one day paused 



