BIEDS TRAINED TO PERFORM 137 



sing — they are placed each in a separate cage and 

 left in a partly darkened room. An old bird, 

 known as a "schoolmaster" and selected for his 

 perfect voice, is then introduced into the room so 

 that the youngster, through an inborn instinct for 

 imitation, will learn to copy his song. In place 

 of the schoolmaster, or as his aid, a musical in- 

 strument termed a "bird-organ," on which many 

 of the required runs can be produced, is some- 

 times employed. The bird^-organ is used almost 

 entirely in the United States as a means of train- 

 ing, not because it is more efficient than the 

 schoolmasters, but because they were difficult to 

 secure. Germany has a monopoly on the latter 

 just as she once had on the dye industry, and 

 jealously guards them against export. There- 

 fore, although accomplished songsters have been 

 reared in America and other countries, the most 

 unique examples still come from the land of 

 schoolmasters and whistling bullfinches. 



The voice of the bullfinch in the wild state is a 

 "clear piping call and a curious little squeaky 

 song" delivered with much vim. It has none of 

 the soft sweetness of the wild canary. But as the 

 bullfinch is a native of German groves and 

 thickets, and easily tamed, the people there have 

 taken it in hand. It does not breed well in cap- 

 tivity; therefore the young birds are caught wild 

 and, being clever imitators, are taught to whistle 

 various tunes. Despite the bullfinch's naturally 



