1' H E t H R U S H, &c. 6y 



iUinSj cliffs, and often in high rocks over the fea; its young refemblc 

 thofe of the thrufti very clofely j lays four or five eggs, pale greenifh 

 a(h- colour ; makes its neftof ftraw, fm all fibres of roots, and fuch'likc; 

 and often ufes the nefts of other birds. Its voice is rougher than the 

 reft of this kind ; but what it t<?ants in the melody of its note, which 

 it will learn, it compenfates by the facility with which it is taught to 

 fpeak. It fpeaks equally French, German, Englifh, Latin, Greek, not 

 words only^ but phrafes, and pronounces diftinctly that difficult lettec 

 R. So foon as their young are able, thefe birds aflemble in vaft flocks, 

 and feed upon worms and infefls ; at the approach of fpring, they 

 aiTemble in fields ; often fly in a troop fo united, yet fo agitated, and 

 rolling on itfelf, that they embarrafs a bird of prey, which, unable to 

 determine on any one for prey, quits the whole. They aflTemble efpecially 

 in evenings j pafs the night among reeds ; chatter much while toge- 

 ther J are fond of cherries ; live on grain, fruit, and infers ; drink, much 

 like the cock, and take delight in bathing. In foreign parts fome are 

 white, fome black and white, and fome grey. 



To this tribe might be added above an hundred other birds of nearly the 

 thrufh fize, and living like them upon fruit and berries : but as it is impof- 

 fible to defcribe the fplendid tints that adorn the foreign birds of the thrufli 

 kind, pafllng thefe beautiful, but little known kinds, we advert to the Ame- 

 rican mock- bird, the favourite fongfter of a region where the birds excel 

 rather in the beauty of their plumage than the fweetnefs of their notes. 



The American Mock- bird is but a plain bird to the eye, about the 

 fize of a thrufli, a grey-brown colour, has a few flight breaft fpots, 

 and a reddifli (in fome blackifli) bill; blackifli feet. It is poflefled not 

 only of its own natural notes, which' are mufical and folemn, but ic can 

 aflume the tone of every other animal in the wood, from the wolf to 

 the raven. It feems even to fport itfelf in leading them aftray j will 

 firft allure the leflTer birds with the call o'f their mates, then terrify them 

 with the fcreams of the eagle. There is no bird in the forcft but it 

 can mimic ; and there is none that it has not at times deceived. 



The Indians have named it cencontlatolUy which means four hundred 

 languages. Not only he fings well, but with energy, and accompanies his 

 voice with regular motions ; he firft rifes on his wings, then falls 

 head foremoft feveral times ; then he begins dancing, and accompanicg 

 it with his fong. If- his fong is lively, his flight defcribes in the air 

 a multitude of crofling circles, mounting, defcending, andfriflcing} 



M2 if 



