A JEALOUS BULLFINCH. 
359 
finch which went the way of most pets, and perhaps a happier way than that which would 
have been travelled in their neglected state : — - 
“ The loss of our pet, General Bern, was deeply felt. There was a sad vacancy in our 
house again which we did not soon expect to have filled. However, one morning, while I yet 
wept for General Bern, W came in with a small cage in his hand, containing a Bullfinch. 
“ ‘ See !’ said he, ‘ I have brought a fine Bullfinch to cheer you ; he sings very sweetly 
several German airs, and it will fill Bern’s place a little for you.’ 
“ ‘ Ho, no, I cannot let him stay ; no bird can take Bern’s place ; I do not want another bird 
to love ; take him away.’ 
“ ‘ Poor little Bobby, I found him in the room of a rough fellow who did not care for him, 
and who gladly exchanged the sullen bird, as he called him, for some trinket. A little girl I 
saw there told me how sweetly he sang, and I determined to have him at any rate. Must I 
take the poor bird away? He will be so startled among my clamorers that he will not 
sing to me.’ 
“ ‘Well, let the fellow stay, though I assure you I cannot love him.’ 
“ So he hung the bird-cage on a nail in my room, and I tried to turn my back upon him. 
I could not help observing, however, that he seemed to relish the glow of my wood fire and 
the warmth of the room greatly, and was commencing to dress his feathers, and to jump about 
in his little cage with quite a cheerful air. 
“ I thought him at all events a sensible bird, and determined to give him a larger cage 
during the day. I then discovered that he had been so unfortunate as to lose three of 
his toes, perhaps in the struggles he had made when he had been taken prisoner, by means of 
the deceitful bird-limed twig, so that he was almost incapable of resistance, if one chose 
to catch him while in the cage, and then he would only crouch in a corner, and with his bright 
black eye and beseeching chirp pray to be left at peace. 
“For a week or more I took but little notice of him, only admiring his irresistible 
song, for he became so cheerful as to sing to us once or twice during the twenty-four hours. 
“One afternoon, however, I caught myself mimicking the droll whistle with which he 
would break his song, and which had precisely the sound we expressed by the whew-o-o-o 
when we make what we know to be some ludicrous mistake. 
“He instantly repeated it more slowly. I tried again and again till he seemed satisfied, 
and commenced the first bar of a strain of German music, and then paused. I looked up. 
‘ What, do you mean to teach me your song ? ’ 
“ He repeated the notes, and I essayed to reproduce them ; my effort, however, seemed to 
amuse the young master, for he drew out to its fullest extent his whew-o-o-o-o, but instantly 
commenced the bar again. By this time I had become thoroughly interested, and not liking 
to be laughed at, made a more successful effort. This time Bob seemed more satisfied, 
and added a few more notes. When I had achieved these, he repeated all and put me to the 
test, and so on through his whole song ; every few moments, however, evidently enjoying 
the fantastic mistakes which I made, and uttering his whistle in the most provokingly 
sarcastic tone. I was greatly amused, and related the story with great gusto on my husband’s 
return. 
“The next morning when I came near the cage, the bird came as near me as he could 
and commenced a pleasant chirping, which evidently meant ‘ Good-morning to you.’ This 
I returned in tones resembling his as nearly as I could, and it finally ended by my taking the 
young gentleman into my hand and feeding him. He took his seeds from my fingers from 
that time every morning, for two or three weeks. Then we were to leave C for some time, 
and I sent him back to W , congratulating myself that I was yet heart-whole as far 
as Bobby was concerned. 
“ In about a month we returned, and we called to see the birds. What was my surprise 
when Master Bullfinch instantly descended from his perch to the corner of the cage nearest to 
my face, and after the first chirp of greeting commenced singing in a sweet undertone, hover- 
ing and turning, his feathers lifted, his eyes gleaming, and his whole expression one of the 
