The Mockingbird 49 



a most unfortunate discovery. Not only does 

 he imitate the notes of birds about him, but he 

 invents all manner of quips and vocal jugglery. 



His love song is entrancing. " Oft in the 

 stilly night, " when the moonlight sheds a sil- 

 very radiance about every sleeping creature, 

 the mockingbird sings to his mate such delicious 

 music as only the European nightingale can 

 rival. Perhaps the. stillness of the hour, the 

 beauty and fragrance of the place where the 

 singer is hidden among the orange blossoms or 

 magnolia, increase the magic of his almost 

 pathetically sweet voice ; but surely there is no 

 lovelier sound in nature on this side of the sea. 

 Our poet Lanier declared that this "heavenly 

 bird " will be hailed as " Brother" by Beethoven 

 and Keats when he enters the choir invisible 

 in the spirit world. 



Ever alert, on the qui vive, the mockingbird 

 can no more suppress the music within him, 

 night or day, than he can keep his nervous, 

 high-strung body at rest. From his restlessness 

 alone you might know he is the cousin of the 

 catbird and brown thrasher and is closely re- 

 lated to the wrens. Flitting from perch to 

 perch (fluttering is one of his chief amusements 

 even in a cage) , taking short flights from tree to 

 tree, and so displaying the white signals on his 

 wings and tail, hopping lightly, swiftly, grace- 

 fully over the ground, bounding into the air, 



