200 THE AET OF TRAINING ANIMALS. 



innocent canary placed its foot on the fatal perch than a circu- 

 lar cage encompassed it, and it was kept a prisoner until an- 

 other bird, perching on an adjoining piece of wood set loose 

 a spring which delivered the captive. At another place were 

 baths and pumps 5 further on was a small trough, so arranged 

 that the nearer the bird seemed to draw to it the further off it 

 really was. Lastly, each denizen of the cage was obliged to 

 earn its food by drawing forward with its beak small paste- 

 board carts." 



We have known the following arrangement to be used for 

 bullfinches, which might be applied to other birds : The appa- 

 ratus for drawing up its food and water consisted of a band of 

 soft leather one-sixth of an inch in breadth, in which were 

 pierced four holes^ through which the feet and wings of the 

 bird were put, and the ends united to a ring on the belly. To 

 this ring was attached a small chain fastened at the other end 

 to the seed and water vessel. When the bird is hungry it pulls 

 the chain up a little way with his beak, puts his foot on it to re- 

 tain the length already gained, then pulls again, and so con- 

 tinues. Sometimes the two vessels are attached to a pulley in 

 such a manner that when one descends the other rises, so that 

 the bird has to pull up each as he wants it. 



Canaries may be taught to come and go at command. To 

 accomplish this the cage should be provided with doors which 

 open only inivardj and which close of themselves. When the 

 male and female have been paired the former is let fly in some 

 garden where there are trees ; the cage is then hung outside 

 the window, that his mate may lure him back. This is repeated 

 fiveor six days, alwaysletting the malego again without touching 

 him, so he may not be terrified. After a time the female too 

 may be set at liberty, the door of the cage being left perma- 

 nently open that they may go and return at will. 



The European sparrow, which is becoming acclimated here, 

 and will no doubt soon become as common here as there, is often 

 taught to leave home and return at call. All that is necessary 

 is to keep it a month in a large cage at the window, plentifully 

 supplied with good food, such as millet, bread, etc. Win- 

 ter is the best time for this purpose. An inmate of the Hotel des 

 Invalides, at Paris, is said to have made a sparrow so tame as 

 to leave it pei-fectly at liberty without any fear of losing it. It 

 was ornamented with a small bell fastened by a ribbon around 

 its neck. It would not allow itself to be touched by any one 

 but its owner, and was so fond of him that it could not 

 be induced to leave him when at last he became bed-ridden. On 

 one occasion it was caught and deprived of its bell. It was, 



