4-1 



usual method of keeping' birds " dark." Before we had time to 

 throw these flaps back we could already detect some prime notes, 

 which elicited approving nods of my friend's cranium. 



After admitting- light into the cages we sat quite still, employing 

 ■eyes and ears for the benefit of the birds, and whispers only for our 

 own. Every bird sang well, not one bad note could be heard from 

 the half score of songsters. However, other points had to be 

 considered, the production of the song had to be criticized, and in this 

 some were at fault. One repeated a favourite tour too many times, 

 a,nd although it was new and very sweet, it was a fault to introduce it 

 more than once into each separate delivery. Another broke off after 

 a few tours, and began afresh. Every now and then only he would 

 complete his full score. These two specimens were soon crossed off 

 the book. In fifteen minutes three were selected as probable 

 winners, and three for preliminary reserve. 



Another large team followed ; a few minutes' hearing showed 

 these to be somewhat too loud ; the trainer had evidently been too 

 indulgent, and allowed his stock more light than was good for them. 

 Otherwise the training was very superior, as was shown by the 

 unusual depth of most sonorous rolls and liquid bubbles produced 

 by the team, the like of which we did not meet with again at that 

 ■contest. The top notes were somewhat too powerful ; nevertheless 

 three specimens were noted in the judge's book for a second and 

 ■entirely separate hearing. 



Among the next batch, of only five birds, was a good all-round 

 bird with a steady song of some twenty changes, each of the requisite 

 duration and quality, and these succeeded each other so correctly 

 that a "first" was at once awarded. On closer inspection the judge 

 pronounced this bird an "old stager" who had probably been 

 purchased at a high price when the others of the team had already 

 made progress under another teacher, and when it was too late to 

 inculcate all that "best master's" exemplary precepts into their 

 young heads. In the next training season that winner "would, in all 

 probability, be employed from the beginning to train youngsters, and 

 better quality all round might in the future be expected from the 

 ■exhibitor accordingly. 



