A CLEVER CA>iARY. 203 



"which so held them as to leave about half an inch above the 

 brim. The Java sparrow hopped on one of the cards, and 

 .finally drew the identical one that had been drawn. The ex- 

 planation became easy on examining the cards. At one end, 

 €ach card had a thin layer of sweet-wafer paste ; the selected 

 card was taken by the exhibitor and placed in the pack ; all the 

 rest of the cards had the paste end downward, while the card 

 alone was placed back in the pack with the opposite end up- 

 ward. And the bird naturally looked at the end. 



The greatest humbug in Vienna is a school of trained 

 goldfinches, which a woman has taught to draw numbers from 

 a bowl, without, however, selecting any particular one, but 

 merely taking them hap-hazard. All the supei-stitious lottery 

 ticket buyers go thither for an augury, and the owner of the 

 finches is reaping a rich harvest- 

 In a work entitled Pratt's Gleanings, for many years out of 

 print, and now almost out of existence, we find the following 

 description of an exhibition given by a bird tamer at a fair in 

 the town of €leve« : 



" The canary was produced, and the owner harrangued him in 

 the following manner, placing him upon his forefinger : ^ Bijou, 

 jewel, you are now in the presence of persons of great sagacity 

 and honor ^ take heed you do not disappoint the expectations 

 they have conceived of you from the world's report. You have 

 got laurels ; beware, then, of erring.' 



*^ All this time the bird seemed to listen, and indeed placed 

 himself in the true attitude of attention, by sloping his head 

 to the ear of the man, and then distinctly nodding twice ^vhen 

 his master left ofi^ speaking. 



"^That's good,' said the master, pulling off his hat to the 

 bird. '• Now, then, let us see if you are a canary of honor. 

 Give us a tune.' The canary sang, 



^^ ^ Pshaw \ that's too harsh ; 'tis the note of a raven, with 

 a hoarseness upon him: something pathetic' The canary 

 whistled as if his little throat was changed to a lute. 



" * Faster,' says the man — ^ slower — very well — what a 

 plague is this foot about, and this little head 1 No wonder you 

 are out, Mr. Bijou, when you forget your time. That's a 

 jewel — bravo 1 bravo ! my little man ! ' 



" All that he was ordered or reminded of did he do to admi- 

 ration. His head and foot beat time — humored the variations 

 of both tone and movement. 



" ' Bravo 1 bravo ! ' re-echoed from all parts of tho room. 

 The musicians declared the canary was a greater master of 

 music than any of their band. 



