‘74 
NATURE NOTES. 
After bathing, careful tending, and good feeding, the little 
thing is, with the wondrous cheerfulness of a bird, merry and 
well ; but it is a piteous sight, and appeals to all humane folk 
to do what they can to suppress the enormity which has grown 
so familiar as to be scarcely heeded — that of caging a winged 
being. I know of fifty cases as bad in other ways, or worse, 
which I am forced to see but cannot relieve. They place the 
custom of caging birds before me as one which is, in itself, so 
grave an abuse as to leave no “lawful use” to be abrogated. 
Edith Carrington. 
[The note on the talking canary (p. 159) seems to have attracted considerable 
notice, as it has been reprinted in numerous periodicals. Mr. W. F. Kirby has 
directed our attention to an account of a talking canary at Norwood, published in 
the Annals and Magazine of Natural History for 1858 (3rd series, ii. 371). The 
writer, Mr. S. Leigh Sotheby, says : — “ Constantly being talked to, the bird, 
when about three months old, astonished its mistress by repeating the endearing 
terms used in talking to it, such as ‘ Kissie, kissie,’ with its significant sound. 
This went on, and from time to time the little bird repeated other words ; and 
now, for hours together, except during the moulting season, astonishes us by 
ringing the changes, according to its own fancy, and as plain as any human voice 
can articulate them, on the several words — ‘ Dear, sweet Titchie ’ (its name) ; 
‘ Kiss Minnie ; ’ ‘ Kiss me then, dear Minnie ; ’ ‘ Sweet pretty little Titchie ; ’ 
‘Dear Titchie.’ It whistles also, very clearly, the first bar of ‘ God save the 
Queen.’ ” Mr. Sotheby adds ; “ Our friend, Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins, who has 
heard the bird, tells me that about twenty years ago, a canary that spoke a few 
words was exhibited in Regent Street, the only other instance, I believe, 
publicly known.” — E d. N.N.\ 
THE AGE OF DISFIGUREMENT.* 
R. RICHARDSON EVANS, to whose energy we are 
largely indebted for the formation of the Society which 
aims at reforming the abuses of advertising, has pub- 
lished a neat little shilling volume bearing upon the 
subject, which is practical and suggestive, and moreover is so 
pleasantly and easily written that the reader who takes it up is 
not likely to put it down until he has at any rate glanced through 
its pages. By his moderation and common sense he will gain 
many adherents to his cause ; he remembers the saying of St. 
Francis of Sales that “ more flies are caught by honey than by 
vinegar,” and although a pleasant tartness is not wanting on 
occasion, suavitey in modo is never absent from his arguments. 
As we note in another place, the Society above referred to is 
making headway, and will no doubt become still better known 
when it has a name of less portentous length ; for no one can be 
expected to write or talk much about a body which cannot be 
referred to in less than nine words. The aims of the Society, as 
* The Age of Disfigurement. By Richardson Evans. London : Remington 
& Co., 8vo, pp. 1 12, ij. 
