326 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



self round with inspiring animation, and, as it were, mov- 

 ing in time to the melody of his own accents. Even the 

 hours of night, which consign nearly all other birds to 

 rest and silence, like the Nightingale, he oft employs 

 in song, serenading the houseless hunter and silent cot- 

 tager to repose, as the rising moon illumines the dark- 

 ness of the shadowy scene. His capricious fond- 

 ness for contrast and perpetual variety appears to de- 

 teriorate his powers. His lofty imitations of the musi- 

 cal Brown Thrush are perhaps interrupted by the crow- 

 ing of the cock, or the barking of the dog ; the plaintive 

 warblings of the Blue-bird are then blended with the 

 wild scream and chatter of the Swallow, or the cackling 

 of the hen ; amid the simple lay of the native Robin, we 

 are surprised with the vociferations of the Whip-poor- 

 will ; while the notes of the garrulous Jay, Kildeer, 

 Woodpecker, Wren, fifing Baltimore, and many others 

 succeed, with such an appearance of reality, that we al- 

 most imagine ourselves in the presence of the originals, 

 and can scarcely realize the fact, that the whole of this 

 singular concert is the effort of a single bird. Indeed, it 

 is impossible to listen to these Orphean strains, when de- 

 livered by a superior songster in his native woods, with- 

 out being deeply affected, and almost riveted to the spot, 

 by the complicated feelings of wonder and delight, in 

 which, from the graceful and sympathetic action, as well 

 as enchanting voice of the performer, the eye is no less 

 gratified than the ear. It is, however, painful to reflect, 

 that these extraordinary powers of nature, exercised with 

 so much generous freedom in a state of confinement, are 

 not calculated for long endurance, and after this most won- 

 derful and interesting prisoner has survived for 6 or 7 

 years, blindness often terminates his gay career ; and 

 thus shut out from the cheering light, the solace of his 



