182 TIDE FEATlffiWiD TEIBES. 



resemblance to tliose of the brown thrash {furdits rufun), but may easily be distinguished 

 by their greater rapidity, sweetness, energy of expression, and variety." We have already 

 seen also, that he describes the part of the song not alleged to be imitative as " bold, full, 

 and varied, seemingly beyond all limits ;" so that we are at least borne out, by several 

 strong facts, in our opinion of the whole song being original, and not the result of a 

 confused medley of imitations. 



It is a favourite topic with authors to compare the^^singing of the American mocking- 

 bird and the European nightingale. " It may not be improper," saj's Daines Barriugton, 

 " to consider whether the nightingale may not have a very formidable competitor in the 

 American mocking-bird, though almost all travellers agree, that the concert in the 

 European woods is superior to that of the other parts of the globe." He adds, from his 

 own observation, that its " pipe comes the nearest to our nightingale of any bird I have 

 yet met with."* 



Wilson, having never heard the nightingale, coidd not, of course, make the requisite 

 comparison ; but after quoting Barrington's sentiments, he exclaims, " What must we 

 think of that bird, who, in the glare of day, when a multitude of songsters are straining 

 their throats in melody, overpowers all competition ; and, by the superiority of his voice, 

 expression, and action, not only attracts every ear, but frequently strilies dumb his 

 mortified rivals ; . . . . when the silence of night as well as the bustle of day bear 

 witness to his melody ; and when even in cajjtiAdty, in a foreign country, he is declared 

 by the best judges in that country to be fully equal to the song of their sweetest bird in 

 its xchoh compass ? The supposed degradation of his song," he adds, " by the introduction 

 of extraneous sounds and unexpected imitations, is, in fact, one of the chief excellences 

 of this bird ; as these changes give a perpetual novelty to his strain, keep attention 

 constantly awake, and impress every hearer with a deeper interest in what is to follow. 

 In short, if we believe in the truth of that mathematical axiom, that the whole is greater 

 than a part, all that is excellent or delightful, amusing or strildng, in the music of birds, 

 miist belong to tliat admirable songster whose vocal powers are equal to the whole compass 

 of their whole strains." 



The movements of the mocldng-bird, when domesticated, are very amusing ; and while 

 it loses little of its native energy of song, its talent is modified according to the circum- 

 stances in which it is placed, and as these may be favourable or otherwise to its develop- 

 ment. He whistles for the dog ; Ccesar starts up, wags his tail and runs to meet his 

 master. He squeaks out like a hurt chicken, and the lien hurries about with liangiug 

 wings and bristled feathers, clucldng to protect its injured brood. The barking of the 

 dog, the mewing of the cat, fhe creaking of a passing wheelbarrow, follow with great 

 truth and rapidity. He repeats the tune taught him by his master, though of con- 

 siderable length, fully and faithfully. He runs over the quaverings of the canary, and the 

 clear whistlings of the Virginia nightingale, or red-bird, with such superior execution 

 and cffecf, tliat the mortified songsters feel their own inferiority, and become altogether 

 silent ; while he seems to triumph in their defeat by redoubling his exertions.* Southey, 

 in alluding to this extraordinary bird, has well characterised it as — 



Tliut clicci'l'iil one, ■vvlio kiiowclli all 

 Till- soii;;;s iif all tliu wiiiyid choristers; 

 And ill one sequence of melodious souiidsi 

 Poui-s all its music. 



The love of variety manil'vstcd by the mocking-bird tends to impair its song, when, 

 bv domestication, it is brought into contact with soiuids which are not of a musical 

 nature. The writer once had a canary, which, when young, was separated from others 



• miil. Trans, vol L\ii. pt. ii. p. i;«4. 



