TIIE GOLT)FI^'CH. 269 



The sixth was a cannoneer, wore a cap on its head, 

 held a firelock in its claw, and discharged a small 

 cannon. Then it acted as if it had been wounded, 

 while another bird wheeled it away in a little 

 barrow, as if conveying it to an hospital ; after 

 which it flew away before all the assembled party. 

 One bird turned a small windmill ; and another 

 little creature had been trained to stand in the 

 midst of fireworks, and exhibit no signs of fear 

 while they were exploding all around it. 



It is truly wonderful to see how so volatile a 

 creature as a bird can thus be made to subdue, for 

 a time, its natural impulses, which, after all, must 

 still remain unclianged, and must subject the poor 

 bird to great misery. Perhaps cruelty may not, 

 in all cases, be practised by those who thus dis- 

 cipline the birds, yet it is hardly possible to con- 

 ceive that so much can be effected without it. 

 ^lany who now sit, admiring spectators of similar 

 perfomiances, would turn away with sickening 

 sensations of horror, could they discern the means 

 used in teaching them. Every kind-hearted per- 

 son would surely discourage exhibitions of this 

 sort, did they know the processes which are em- 

 ployed, at least by some of those who thus ti*ain 



