156 OMNIVOROUS BIRDS, 



The beautiful Baltimore bird is only one of the tribe of 

 true Icteri, which, except the present and following spe- 

 cies, remain within the tropical regions, or only migrate 

 to short distances in the rainy season. Ours wing their 

 way even into Canada, and breed in every intermediate 

 region to the table land of Mexico. A yellow Brazilian 

 species of the section of this genus called Cassicus, ac- 

 cording to Waterton, inhabits also Demerara, where, like 

 our bird, he familiarly weaves his pendulous nest near the 

 planter's house, suspending it from the drooping branches 

 of trees, and so low that it may be readily looked into even 

 by the incurious. Omnivorous like the Starling, it feeds 

 equally on insects, fruits, and seeds. It is called the 

 Mocking-bird, and for hours together, in gratitude as it 

 were for protection, he serenades the inhabitants with 

 his imitative notes. His own song, though short, is sweet 

 and melodious. But hearing perhaps the yelping of 

 the Toucan, he drops his native strain to imitate it, or 

 place it in ridicule by contrast. Again, he gives the 

 cackling cries of the Woodpecker, the bleating ,of the 

 sheep; — an interval of his own melody, then probably 

 a puppy dog, or a Guinea fowl, receives his usual atten- 

 tion ; and the whole of this mimickry is accompanied by 

 antic gestures, indicative of the sport and company which 

 these vagaries afford him. Hence we see that the mim- 

 icking talent of the Stare is inherent in this branch of the 

 gregarious family, and our own Baltimore, in a humbler 

 style, is no less delighted with the notes of his neighbour- 

 ing feathered songsters. 



There is nothing more remarkable in the whole instinct 

 of our Golden Robin than the ingenuity displayed in the 

 fabrication of its nest, which is, in fact, a pendulous, cy- 

 lindric pouch of 5 to 7 inches in depth, usually suspended 

 from near the extremities of the high, drooping branches of 



