I find the discussion of "music box as a training tool" for "deprived"
song birds fetched a bit far, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

It seems to me that if that is the true nature of their manufactured
purpose, then there would be literature -- either in the way of
commercial advertisements, or patents -- which attest to the premise.
Does anyone know of such?

John Grant

 [ The Frick Collection (New York) owns a painting of circa 1753 showing
 [ a bird in a cage and a lady turning the crank of a serinette; see at
 [ https://collections.frick.org/objects/74/lady-with-a-birdorgan#showImages 
 [ https://collections.frick.org/objects/74/lady-with-a-birdorgan#showAudios 
 [
 [ Philippe Rouille wrote in 980108 MMDigest that serinette manufacture
 [ is described in the monumental work by Dom Bedos de Celles, "The Art
 [ of Organ Building", published circa 1766-1778.  See
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/199801/1998.01.08.02.html 
 [ http://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/199801/1998.01.09.01.html 
 [
 [ -- Robbie