THE MOCKING-BIRD. 169 



York, and the States of New England, still later. There are par- 

 ticular situations to which he gives the preference. A solitaj;y 

 thorn bush, an almost impenetrable thicket, an orange-tree, cedar, 

 or holly bush, are favorite spots, and frequently selected. It is no 

 great objection with him, that these happen, sometimes, to be near 

 the farm or mansion-house. Always ready to defend, but never 

 over-anxious to conceal, his nest, he very often builds within a 

 small distance of the house, and not untVequently in a pear or 

 apple tree ; rarely at a greater height than six or seven feet from 

 the ground. The nest varies a little in different individuals, 

 according to the conveniency of collecting suitable materials. A 

 very complete one is now lying before me, and is composed of the 

 following substances : First, a quantity of dry twigs and sticks ; 

 then, withered tops of weeds, of the preceding year, intermixed 

 with fine straws, hay, pieces of wool and tow ; and, lastly, a thick 

 layer of fine fibrous roots, of a light-brown color, lines the whole. 

 The eggs are four, sometimes five, of a cinereous-blue, marked with 

 large blotches of brown. The female sits fourteen days, and gener- 

 ally produces two broods in the season, unless robbed of her eggs, 

 in which case she will even build and lay the third time. She is, 

 however, extremely jealous of her nest, and very apt to forsake it 

 if much disturbed. It is even asserted by some of our bird-dealers, 

 that the old ones will actually destroy the eggs, and poison the 

 young, if either the one or the other have been handled. But I 

 cannot give credit to this unnatural report. I know, from my own 

 experience at least, that it is not always their practice ; neither 

 have I ever witnessed a case of the kind above mentioned. During 

 the period of incubation, neither cat, dog, animal, nor man can 

 approach the nest without being attacked. The cats, in particular, 

 are persecuted whenever they make their appearance, till obliged 

 to retreat. But his whole vengeance is most particulai'ly directed 

 against that mortal enemy of his eggs and young, the black snake. 

 Whenever the insidious approaches of this reptile are discovered, 

 the male darts upon it with the rapidity of an arrow, dexterously 

 eluding its bite, and striking it violently and incessantly about the 

 head, where it is very vulnerable. The snake soon becomes 

 sensible of its danger, and seeks to escape ; but the intrepid 

 defender of his young redoubles his exertions, and, unless his 



