IMITATION AND MIMICRY. 211 



ing wings and bristled feathers, clucking to protect 

 its injured brood. The barking of the dog, the 

 mewing of the cat, the creaking of a passing wheel- 

 barrow, follow with great truth and rapidity. He 

 repeats the tune taught him by his master, though 

 of considerable length, fully and faithfully. He 

 runs over the quaverings of the canary, and the 

 clear whistlings of the Virginia nightingale or red- 

 bird, with such superior execution and effect, that 

 the mortified songsters feel their own inferiority, 

 and become altogether silent ; while he seems to 

 triumph in their defeat by redoubling his exertions. 

 " This excessive fondness for variety, however, 

 in the opinion of some, injures his song. His ele- 

 vated imitations of the brown-thrush are frequently 

 interrupted by the crowing of cocks ; and the war- 

 blings of the bluebird, which he exquisitely man- 

 ages, are mingled with the screaming of swallows 

 or the cackling of hens ; amid the simple melody 

 of the robin we are suddenly surprised by the shrill 

 reiterations of the whip-poor-will ; while the notes 

 of the kildeer, the blue-jay, martin, Baltimore, and 

 twenty others, succeed, with such imposing reality, 

 that we look round for the originals, and discover, 

 with astonishment, that the sole performer in this 

 singular concert is the admirable bird now before us. 

 During this exhibition of his powers, he spreads 

 his wings, expands his tail, and throws himself 

 around the cage in all the ecstasy of enthusiasm, 

 seeming not only to sing, but to dance, keeping 

 time to the measure of his own music. Both in his 

 native and domesticated state, during the solemn 

 stillness of night, as soon as the moon rises in silent 

 majesty, he begins his delightful solo ; and sere- 

 nades us the livelong night with a full display of his 

 vocal powers, making the whole neighbourhood 

 ring with his inimitable medley."* 



* Amer. Ornith., ii., 19. 



