Flappers & Fiction

Among the flutter and chaos of a crowded bird room, one resident stood apart with the quiet dignity of a gentleman in a frock coat. Bearing a shield of rose upon his breast, this Grosbeak possessed the soul of a philosopher and the table manners of a civilized guest. He scorned the vulgar restlessness of the thrushes, preferring to watch the street below like a living panorama. But even a creature of such rigid habit has his eccentricities, ranging from his silent wars over perch height to his terrified standoff with a stuffed owl.

He is New York’s most celebrated gentleman, though he weighs only ninety pounds and occasionally flings damp sawdust at his admirers. Meet Mr. Crowley, the chimpanzee who dines with a linen napkin and spoon yet possesses the mischievous soul of a schoolboy. From his polite consumption of cod liver oil to his violent rejection of a prospective bride, this delightful 1880s profile captures the chaotic charm of the city’s favorite entertainer. It is a portrait of a creature hovering hilariously between the parlor and the jungle, holding a mirror to the crowds who flock to his iron-barred court.

After a failed search for Golden-winged Woodpeckers in the woods of Northern New York, the narrator discovers a “disconsolate” specimen not in a hollow tree, but in a city shop. What begins as the rescue of a terrified creature evolves into a delightful study of a most peculiar houseguest. From his habit of sleeping hanging against the cage wires to his clumsy, child-like gait across the floor, this “affectionate baby” proves that sometimes the most fascinating birdwatching happens right in the parlor.