64 CANARY BIRDS. 



assistance in teaching birds to sing artificial 

 songs. A bird, accustomed to hearing the 

 mewing of a cat, forgot his own melodies 

 and mewed also. He was cured by being 

 taken to a neighbor's, and his cage hung 

 near another bird who was a sweet songster. 

 The very general introduction into an ac- 

 quired tune of a few of the bird's own notes, 

 is owing to its having been taken into train- 

 ing too far on in its life ; even at four or five 

 days old, when the nestlings cannot see, it 

 appears they can remember the sound of the 

 parent's voice ; probably they listen to that 

 alone, as at that early age they do not catch 

 the notes of other birds, though many may 

 be chirping around them. 



In teaching young birds to sing, school 

 cages are useful ; either a row of the little 

 six-inch square cages, or else a long narrow 

 box, wired in front, and divided into com- 

 partments. One really good singing bird 

 may be hung overhead, and will teach them 

 all. They will learn whatever it is they 



