OP.n - MtJCKING BIRD, 



One reason for their iil)U!ul;i!tce at Kev West ni.vy haw ')eeii owJul^ to the |ileiitii'iil 

 suiiplv of the edible fruit of a, species of prickly pear ( Opuiitia ticiis indiciis ) on which 

 they feed. Tin's plant grows al.iiridantly all over the i icher jwrtions of the ke}-, but in 

 one section there was'a space containing several acres, which had been cleared from trees 

 and busiies, which was so completely covered -with thi'ia thr.t it was impossible for any 

 lai'LL'e imiuial to pass through it. Some of the cacti in this were of an inunense size, l)eing 

 over ten feet in height, and nearly all the flat leaf-like stalks bore several of the pear- 

 shaped fruit, fi'om which this cactus derives its name. These are ripe during tlie litter 

 part of November, wlicn the\- liecome bright scarlet ; then they iire ver}' juicy, and of an 

 ."Livceable .acid ila\or. Tbt.' outer s]<in ninwt be car''full\' i-cuiomm!. ho\ve\er, before att(.'nni(- 

 !:iii: to e:'.t them, as it i-< nearly covered with long, slender spines iliat grow in bunches and 

 whicli residilv eider the Hesh when brought in contact witii it. . They are barbed, and 

 therefore e.'^rceedinglv di'Iicult to remove when once fixed. The Mocking Birds visit this 

 ])lacc in larre naml)'.'rs. when the fruit becomes der.d ripe, and raouliiig the spines by 

 peckiuLi- a hole in the ui'iier end. which is free from them, grcedilj' devour the contents. 

 The juice is bright vermilion, and not only stains their bills, heads, and thioats, but those 

 which I dissected, th:\t had been feeding on the pears, had the stomachs and intestines com- 

 pletely dyed by it. 



These l)irds ni-e (,uite epicures in their way, and not only eat prickly pears, l)ut feed 

 upon oranges, the berries of the palmetto, and other small fruits. They also eatwoi-ms, 

 ])eetles, (lies, and the larvae ofother insects. I have f)und the stomach of a single indi- 

 vidual crammed with nearly all these articdes of food, with the addition of a tonics in the 

 shape of small peblile^ or ] ieces of sliells. On account ot this idiangeable diet it is dilHcult 

 to make specimens, taken when adult, live in confinenK'nt ; tliey must be captured wdien 

 (luite young, and thus l)ecom,.' accustomed to such tboil as can be reidily procured for them. 

 When thev are brought north, however, the change of climate destroys a great many; 

 l)ut t!ic\' are more easily keiil in the south, and nearly evei'v one who has a, taste for pets 

 possesses one or more. I \'isited a museum at Sa\'anr, ah, Geoi'gia, in whic-h lix'ing animals 

 Avere exhibited; and where among other attractions was an inunense cage in which were 

 many species of small birds, including several Mocking Birds, one of which behaved in a 

 verv odd manner. Tt would tly violently at my hand when I ])laced it against the bars 

 of the cau'e, twittering angrily, and would not be satisfied until I withdrew it. It paid 

 no attention to the kee])er, however, Avho informed us that it always assailed sti'angers 

 in this way. Individuals in a state of nature also appear to have eccentric halnts ; I knew 

 one that had taken a fancy to perch on the top of an old stub, and which was always 

 found there at certain times during the day. If driven away it Avoidd return when we 

 had moved to a little distance. Indeed it seems to be a general habit with this species 

 to perch on some elevated situation; in this they reseml)le the Shrikes, and their method 

 of flieht i'' similar, being slow but steady. 



The breeding season in Florida is al)out the first of April, but the young were barely 

 hatched at Williamton, North Carolina, in the last week in May. In Florida, the nests 

 are usually placed in orange trees within a few feet (jf the ground, and often (juite near 



