THE BULLFINCH. 
tlie room in which the bird is has shutters, don’t open them till 
the lesson is concluded. 
If you are capable of whistling clearly and sharply, you need 
no instrument ; if you can sing nicely, it will do as well ; but if 
you can do neither one nor the other, you had better learn to play 
the tune you wish to teach to the bird upon a tin whistle. Do 
not give your little scholar too much of the lesson to digest at a 
time. If “ Grod save the Queen ” is the tune, play as much 
music as goes to the first line. Play it over and over and 
over again, in exactly the same time, and without the 
slightest variation, else you will confuse him. While you are 
playing, the bird will remain so remarkably quiet as to lead 
to the unpleasant supposition that he is fast asleep ; but 
patience, my boy. Forty -nine times you have played that first 
line, till the music has become melancholy and detestable. For 
the fiftieth time you play it, when, with a suddenness that 
electrifies you, the little prisoner, with more or less success, 
echoes it. 
How for his reward. Fling open the shutters, let in the 
sun, and pile up his food-box, taking care to crown the banquet 
with two or three — just two or three — delicious hemp-seeds. 
Let that be an end of the day’s lesson. Let him peg away 
at his seed for one hour, then take it away and let him eat no 
more that day. Don’t imagine that you will be troubled to 
play as long unanswered to him the next morning; indeed, don’t 
be surprised if he greets you with the result of yesterday’s 
teaching as soon as you enter the room. If, however, he 
should be so very rapid in learning, you must go on with the 
next line of the song, and make him repeat it before you give 
him his breakfast. Ho doubt he will try all he knows to co?~ 
you out of your determination ; he will sing you the first " 
very nicely indeed, he will peck at his empty seed-H 
remonstrative way, but you must be inexorable, stern a. 
as a drill-sergeant. If your bird is obstinate, as a punk 
you may blow Mm ujo, not figuratively but actually, 
sharply up to his cage, and blow at him with your mouth, lie 
will relish this so little, that after a few applications a sharp 
step or two towards his cage will be sufficient to put him on his 
best behaviour. 
If your bullfinch is a timid bird, and plainly shows that the 
necessary harshness of the treatment is almost too much for 
him, you may comfort him by putting a little cochineal, or even 
port wine, in his drinking- vessel. Indeed, a celebrated bird- 
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