230 MOCKING-BIRD. 



he is seen from the Atlantic to the Paci- 

 fic Ocean as far south as the interior of 

 Brazil. He is occasionally now, though 

 rarely, seen in the vicinity of Philadelphia, 

 whence he has been gradually driven by 

 a constant pursuit, which arose from the 

 great price constantly demanded and ob- 

 tained for him, from the fancier. In fact, 

 from this cause, scarcely a square in any 

 one of our large cities has not at least 

 one, and frequently as many as a dozen 

 cages, suspended from the windows of 

 gentlemen's mansions. 



It would be unnecessary in our limited 

 work to describe the appearance of this 

 bird, which is more remarkable for plain- 

 ness and intelligence than for any extra- 

 ordinary beauty. In the cage as well as 

 in the wood, his every motion is ease and 

 gracefulness itself, combined with a light- 

 ness and rapidity of motion which is 

 amusing to the spectator, from its resem- 

 blance to caprice and an apparent co- 

 quettishness of demeanour. 



