64 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



course, it is much better to have a bird pipe a variety of songs than to pipe one 

 single air ; but a bird which pipes a single long air, seemingly puts his whole energy 

 to the task. In music, as in any thing else, constant repetition generally tires : but 

 one never tires of Bullfinch music, though it is a repetition of the same old strains ; 

 for the soothing sweetness and pathos of the voice, and exquisite rendering, seem 

 to make one forget that he has ever before heard the piece. On the contrary, no 

 matter how often the bird pipes, if he is a good performer he always gets an 

 encore. 



The whistling of the trainers of these birds is wonderfully sweet, and full of 

 expression, and no more to be compared with the attempts of the amateur street- 

 whistler than the voice of an operatic star can be compared with the buzz-saw 

 music of the street-solicitor of alms. Long and continued repetition has worked 

 this effect, and its full charm is rendered complete by the pupil's sweet voice. 



Some Bullfinches pipe sweeter than others : one bird will pipe through his song 

 in a manner which makes the music appear dreamy and far off, meanwhile inter- 

 mingling the most beautiful trills, giving his song most delightful and correct expres- 

 sions. Another will pipe his air through in a manly, business-like manner, shake and 

 nod his head as if asking, How do you like it ? Want any more ? He will perform the 

 most frivolous love-ditty, or a piece of the most classic music, carefully, sweetly, and 

 in exact tune ; always performing his task satisfactorily. An encore demanded by 

 his master is never disregarded. He seems to feel as much delight in giving it 

 as it causes those who listen to him, probably not forgetting at the same time the 

 usual reward of hemp-seed. To hear a number in a bird-shop pipe at the same 

 time is laughable : each one thinks his own particular song the best, and pipes it 

 with an air of determination ; seeming to think, that, if he took time to listen to his 

 next-door neighbor, he would be tempted to learn that song in addition to his own. 



The abstracted expression of a visitor on entering a bird-store, and carelessly 

 looking about, hearing for the first time a Bullfinch perform his pathetic music, is 

 amusing in the extreme. Although he may be standing directly in front of the per- 

 former, the music appears to come from a distance. Not imagining for a moment 

 that a bird is capable of such an accomplishment, he will suspiciously eye the boy 

 in the vicinity, and peer into all possible hiding-places, looking as amused and 

 puzzled as though some good joke were being played on him. 



A trained Bullfinch which had been hung in a child's chamber on Christmas 

 morning, as a Santa Clans gift, piped his beautiful melody in such a manner as to 

 make the little innocent believe she once more slept, and was soaring in the land of 

 dreams, or listening to real angels' songs. 



The trained bird which was concealed in a beautiful bouquet, and suspended as 

 an ornament at a celebrated dinner-party, made a decided hit, and was the sensa- 

 tion of the evening. Many cunning anecdotes might be related of the effects pro- 

 duced by the music rendered by these birds. 



The name of the author of the ditty " Polly Perkins " has been made immortal 

 by the efforts of the whistling tailor and a few of his colleagues, who, in whistling 

 the songs to their Bullfinches, thereby circulated the song throughout the world. 



A sharp piece of deception was played by a trainer of one of the Polly Perkins 

 class on an unsuspecting German friend, by translating the name of the song, 



