18 MOCKING-BIRD. 



their appearance, till obliged to retreat. But his whole vengeance is 

 most particularly 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 inces- 

 santly 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 antagonist 

 be of great magnitude, often succeeds in destroying him. All its pre- 

 tended powers of fascination avail it nothing against the vengeance of 

 this noble bird. As the snake's strength begins to flag the Mocking- 

 bird seizes it and lifts it up, partly from the ground, beating it with his 

 wings, and when the business is completed, he returns to the repository 

 of his young, mounts the summit of the bush, and pours out a torrent 

 of song in token of victory. 



As it is of some consequence to be able to distinguish a young male 

 bird from a female, the following marks may be attended to ; by which 

 some pretend to be able to distinguish them in less than a week after 

 they are hatched. These are, the breadth and purity of the white on 

 the wings, for that on the tail is not so much to be depended on. This 

 white, in a full grown male bird, spreads over the whole nine primaries, 

 down to, and considerably below, their coverts, which are also white, 

 sometimes slightly tipped with brown. The white of the primaries also 

 extends equally far on both vanes of the feathers. In the female the 

 white is less pure, spreads over only seven or eight of the primaries, 

 does not extend so far, and extends considerably farther down on the 

 broad than on the narrow side of the feathers. The black is also more 

 of a brownish cast. 



The young birds, if intended for the cage, ought not to be left till 

 they are nearly ready to fly ; but should be taken rather young than 

 otherwise ; and may be fed, every half hour, with milk thickened with 

 Indian meal ; mixing occasionally with it a little fresh meat, cut or 

 minced very fine. After they begin to eat of their own accord, they 

 ought still to be fed l)y hand, though at longer intervals, and a few 

 cherries, strawberries, &c., now and then thrown in to them. The same 

 sort of food, adding grasshoppers and fruit, particularly the various 

 kinds of berries in which they delight ; and plenty of clear fine gravel, 

 is found very proper for them after they are grown up. Should the 

 bird at any time appear sick or dejected, a few spiders thrown in to him 

 will generally remove these symptoms of disease. 



If the young bird is designed to be taught by an old one, the best 

 singer should be selected for this ofiice, and no other allowed to be beside 

 him. Or if by the bird organ, or mouth-whistling, it should be begun 

 early, and continued, pretty constantly, hy tlie same person, until the 



