23S MOCKINGBIRD. 



former is a petulant, winning, nasal tchay, to me one of 

 the most disagreeable sounds in Xature, and so unlike 

 the bird's song that he seems possessed of a dual person- 

 ality. The Catbird's song, from a musical standpoint, is 

 excelled by that of few of our birds. His yoice is full 

 and rich, his execution and phrasing are faultless ; but 

 the effect of his song, sweet and yaried as it is, is marred 

 by the singer's too eyident consciousness. 



The Catbird's relative, the Mockingbird, is an abun- 

 dant inhabitant of the southern United States from Yir- 



Mockingbird, g^^^i^ ^^ California, and ranges south- 

 Mimuspoiygiottog. ward iuto Mexico. In the Eastern 



Plate LX\ I. States it is not common north of south- 

 ern Illinois and Yirginia, but in summer it is found in 

 small numbers as far north as Massachusetts, where a few 

 pairs breed each season. It is exceedingly domestic in 

 its habits, and in the South there are few suitable gar- 

 dens, either in the town or country, which are not inhab- 

 ited by a pair of Mockingbirds. 



The power of mimicry for which this bird is cele- 

 brated has, I think, been unduly exaggerated, and the 

 fact that its usual song contains seyeral notes resembling 

 those of other species doubtless in part accounts for its 

 much oyerrated ability as a nmnic. It is unnecessary, 

 howeyer, for the Mockingbird to borrow the notes of other 

 birds, for his own song places him in the front rank of 

 our songsters. It is delivered with a spirit and animation 

 which add greatly to its attractiyeness. The Mocking- 

 bird does not sing between mouthfuls, as do the Yireos, 

 or quietly from a perch, like the Towhee or Thrasher ; 

 he frequently changes his position, hopping from place 

 to place, making short flights, bounding into the air, and 

 displapng the white markings of his wings and tail, as 

 though it were impossible for him to giye expression to 

 his emotion through the medium of voice alone. During 



