Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1896 — Feathered Actors. [ARTICLE]

Feathered Actors.

The star comedian among ail feathered actors, the blackened end man of the feathered minstrel show, is the catbird. With one wing drooping, with head tilted to one side, with legs at an exaggerated angle, he eyes the song sparrow or the flute-voiced oriole as they pour their melody on the flowing gale -watches till the burst of song is done, anti then with a flirt of his tai) that says. “Ladies and gentlemen. I will now give you an accurate imitation of the silvery voiced tenor. Signor Or.’oli,” starts in on an imitation of the song that is excruciatingly funny. The writers on bird life speak, as a rule, of the song of the catbird as something that falls far short of what It ought to be. He is “ambitious of song but”—is about the average opinion. At well might we complain that the orig inal Ohl Zip Coon could not take the place of Booth, or that the irrrpresslide Topsy was not titled for the role of Marguerite. But the fame of the catbird will increase, no doubt, just as comic opera lias grown in favor with theatre-goers—by prodigious bounds. Of the ability of the blue jay to pose as a hen hawk ninny stories can be told. These feathered rascals have the habit of coming about farm liousi** in the Adirondack region when the first warm days of spring draw the farmer out to a seal on the sunny side of outhouse or liarn, and then*, too. the barnyard fowl gather as well. This peaceful, contented group is pretty sure to attract tin* jay. who with many knowing twists of his head determines to give them a little show. Going away to the farther side of the sheltering struct tin*, whatever it may be, he comes dashing over the ridgepole, and with a perfect, imitation of the scream of a hawk and a tremendous flutter of the wings In* lands on the edge of the roof. Then he enjoys the consternation his little performance creates—the skurrylng of tin* hens for cover, ami the imprecations of tin* startled farmers—will never be doubted by one who sees him in the act.