276 Bird -Lore 



the female carrying twigs in among the dagger-shaped leaves of a yucca. Here, 

 at last, she found a sure retreat, and reared her young in safety, free alike from 

 the intrusion of man, and ox, and cat. 



If kindly treated, this bird will ofttimes become very trustful; and, if you are 

 so fortunate as to have trees and shrubbery about xour house, he will perch in 



}'our doorway, and even hop about your room. I knew one which 

 In Captivity often did this, until one day a heavy hand was laid upon him 



and he was placed in a cage. But the moment he was imprisoned 

 his tameness vanished. He refused all food and, dashing wildly against the cruel 

 bars, long and untiringly sought his freedom. Outside he could hear the buzzing 

 of a Hummingbird's wings among the woodbine on the veranda trellis. He heard, 

 too, the twitter of Swifts as they circled and darted about the sky, and again and 

 again the songs and calls of his fellows reached his ears, as they chased each other 

 about the grove in their mimic combats. In his efforts to escape, he drove his bill 

 continually between the bars of the cage until his head was bleeding from many 

 bruises. At times he called loudly for help, and was never content a moment 

 until his wings bore him f)nce more into the bright sunshine; for, like most wild 

 creatures that have grown to maturity in the free air, he could never be taught 

 to live in captivity. 



A friend of mine once picked up a young Mockingbird wliich IkuI been 

 injured, and kindly cared for it. She placed it in a cage, and fed it for a lime with 

 ripe berries and a mixture of boiled egg and potato. Later, when it was able to 

 fly, it was given its liberty. Instead of leaving, it followed her about the house, 

 hopping and flying along the floor. It would alight on her arm and feed from 

 her hand. If she was out of its sight for an hour, it would become uneasy, and. 

 entering the house by door or window, would seek her from room to ro^ini, chirp- 

 ing loudly in distressed tones. For many weeks the bird remained about the house 

 and lawn, and would come when called by its mistress. 



Unfortunately for their prescrvatit)n, Mockingbirds, when taken while young, 

 will, with proper care, thrive in captivity. Thousands of young are collected 

 each year and placed in cages, and only a small per cent of these ca])tives survive 

 the first few months of their imprisonment. As a result of this tratlic, Mocking- 

 birds in many communities are rapidly becoming exterminated. 



Although Mockingl)irds are found more abundantly in tlie southern states, 



they occasionally wander much farther north in summer: some, 

 His Range indeed, have been known to build their nests in Illinois and New 



Jersey. U})on the ap])roach of winter, these bolder s]>irits usually 

 seek the South, and seldom winter nortli of Virginia. Xow and then, for some 

 reason, a Mockingbird declines to leave his northern summer home and. despite 

 the snows and sleet, will remain. In the winter of 1905 -6, one is known to have 

 stayed at Rochester, New York, possibly induced in part to do so by the abundant 

 food provided for it by Mrs. Carroll !•",. iirown. 



