BIRD TAMING. 189 



bird — is cut off from the inner plume of the pen feathers, so that 

 the bird cannot hurt itself if it attempts to leave the hand, and 

 tlie external appearance of the wing is not impaired. The nos- 

 trils of the bird are then touched with bergamot or any other 

 odorous oil, by which it is for the time so stupified as to perch 

 quietly on the finger or to hop from one finger to another. It 

 may attempt to fly away once or twice, but this is not often re- 

 peated, especially if the experiment be conducted in a dark 

 place — for example, behind a curtain, whith offers the further 

 advantage that if the bu*d fall it is not likely to hurt itself. 

 As soon as it sits quietly on any one finger another must be 

 placed in such a position as to cause the bird to step upon it. 

 As soon as it is accustomed to hop quietly from one finger to 

 another the main difficulty is overcome, for if when the bird is 

 gradually aroused from its state of stupefaction it perceives 

 that its teacher does not use it roughly, it may by degrees be 

 taught to manifest perfect obedience to his commands. To 

 teach it to eat from its master's mouth it should be kept in the 

 cage without food for some time. If it be then taken upon the 

 finger and its favorite food be presented to it on the outstretched 

 tongue hunger will soon teach it to feed. A story is told of a 

 fstVorite magpie that had been accustomed to receive dainty bits 

 from the mouth of its mistress. One day it perched as usual 

 on her shoulder and inserted its beak between her lips, not, as 

 it proved, to receive, for as one good turn deserves another, the 

 grateful bird dropped an immense fat green caterpillar into the 

 lady's mouth. 



Bu*ds tamed by the preceding process may be taught to sing 

 while perched upon the hand. To effect this it is only neces- 

 sary to coax them by chirping to them and using encouraging 

 tones. The chaffinch may be made to sing by whistling ^' yach ! 

 yach !" and stroking it on the neck ; and the bullfinch by speak- 

 ing to it in a friendly manner, accompanied by a backward and 

 forward motion of the hand. 



