138 OUR HOME PETS 



as an experiment she put him into the bird- 

 room. At first the little yellow fellows were 

 in awe of one so big; but finding him a well- 

 disposed personage, they accepted him as a 

 room-mate, and paid no further attention to 

 him. Outside the walls of this happy bird 

 home lived another bird, whom the mistress 

 did not dare trust within a mocking-bird. 

 Constant entertainment was furnished him by 

 his stirring little neighbors. He was as inter- 

 ested in their ways and doings as any child in 

 a circus. He often stood for an hour at a 

 time with attention fixed upon them, follow- 

 ing their movements with his eyes, and utter- 

 ing his sentiments now and then in a low 

 cluck. 



It has been said that the mocking-bird can- 

 not imitate the canary song, but this bird sang 

 the canary aria frequently, louder and better 

 than the canaries themselves. It was curi- 

 ous to note the effect of his performance on 

 the small birds. When he began every note 

 ceased ; every little yellow head turned to see 

 who it was that so outdid them. They were 

 not discouraged, however; they were too hap- 

 py, and the music was too infectious to resist. 



