THE CONJURER'S CANARY.
Three eggs being shown to the company, they select one, and that one
dances, in time to music, on a cane. This part of the trick is done by
an empty egg, to which a fine horsehair is fastened, being substituted
for the selected one ; the other end of the horsehair is fastened to
the performer's vest-button, so that by an almost imperceptible
movement of the body while the cane is dexterously managed, the egg
appears to caper of its own volition. This empty egg is replaced unseen
by the real one, which is broken on a plate, to prove there was no
deception. Now the company is asked to choose one of the two other
eggs. On breaking it, a live bird flies forth. It is caught and given
to a lady to be pronounced a real canary, but on taking it back from
her, it is found to have lost life. However, it is put under a
glass-dish on the magician's table, which dish is covered with a
handkerchief. The handkerchief is instantly taken off with the cover,
when the bird flies away once more.
Explanation.—Two eggs are emptied, and the half of the
shells are adjusted together with two strips of paper, glued in the
form of a zone or an equator. Being thus prepared, they represent a
real egg, and can contain a small living canary bird, provided a small
hole be made in it with a pin, to permit free respiration. Of course,
it little matters which egg is chosen. On taking the live canary from
the lady, it is juggled away, and a stuffed one held up in its stead.
This is put on a trap in the table surface, and covered over, as
stated. Instantly the confederate pulls a wire to let the trap work,
and substitute the live bird. One can even exchange the live for the
dead bird without the trap business, but with it the first bird can be
used again, for a startling finale to some other part of the entertainment.
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