IV. 



A TRICKSY SPIRIT. 



For bird-lovers who know the mocking-bird 

 only as a captive in our houses he has few at- 

 tractions : a mere loud-voiced echo of the inhar- 

 monious sounds man gathers about his home, 

 — car-bells, street cries, and other unpleasing 

 noises, — and choosing for his performances the 

 hours one wants to sleep. Unfortunate is the 

 neighborhood in which one is kept. Such was 

 my feeling about the bird before I knew him 

 in freedom, where he has a song of his own. 

 But in my search for native birds I often saw 

 the mocker, was surprised to notice his intelli- 

 gence of look and manner, and at last took one 

 into my bird-room, resolving that the moment 

 he began to " mock " he should be given to 

 some one who liked having the street in his 

 house. My bird was very obliging in the mat- 

 ter ; six months I watched him daily, and he 

 was kind enough not to utter a sound, except 

 an occasional harsh " chack." Probably he had 



