a7id Ornithological Biography. 325 



to fly to another perch, whither her ardent admirer will doubt- 

 less follow her. The beautiful white flowers, and delicately 

 tinted leaves, overshadow the pair whose nuptials have already 

 been celebrated. One almost fancies he hears the cooing which 

 has come softly, in the solitude of the forest, on the ear of 

 the painter, and inspired him with gentle and pleasing thoughts. 



Plate VII. Purple Grahles.- — Maize-thieves, as they are not 

 inaptly called. Two of these birds are perched on a stalk of 

 Indian corn ; they have attacked an unripe ear, torn off the 

 husk, and devoured a large portion of the seeds. The jnale 

 is calling to his fellows to join him. The female, already sati- 

 ated, is flying off with a supply to her young. The attitudes- 

 are graceful and easy. The birds are evidently enjoying all the^ 

 vigour resulting from abundant food and agreeable occupations. 

 From this group we learn, in the first place, all that two stuffed 

 skins could disclose to us, namely, that the beak, the feet, the 

 head, the wings, and the tail, have certain peculiarities of form ; 

 and, secondly, that in summer the bird feeds upon the maize, 

 and conveys the green and juicy seeds to its young. In ha- 

 bit and attitude, we see that the Purple Grakle approache?^ 

 the crows, as well as the genus Icterus. We have, moreover, 

 a representation of the maize, of which so much has lately been 

 heard under the name of Gobbet's corn. The grouping is beauti- 

 ful, the colouring accurate, and the engraving excellent. A more 

 perfect and characteristic representation could not be made. 



Plate XXI. MocMng-Birds. — The famed songstress of the 

 American woods has formed her nest in a bush overgrown with 

 the Virginian jessamine. A rattlesnake has made his way to it. 

 Twisted around the stem, his tail raised in the air, the horrible 

 reptile is stretching forward his distended jaws, hissing at the 

 female bird, which, in her agony, almost suffers herself to be- 

 come a prey to the monster. The male, full of cou: .ge, has 

 crept upon the foe, and is aiming a blow at his eye. A pair a{L 

 neighbours, attracted by the cries of the mocking-birds, are eye^, 

 ing the snake from the tops of the twigs, and meditating a 

 descent. The engraving of this plate is not in the best style,^ 

 the female mocking-bird in particular, perhaps the finest figure 

 which has come from the pencil of Audubon, is greatly injured 

 by the coarseness of the engraving. 



