320 



HABITS OF BIRDS. 



close similarity of the notes to those alleged to be 

 imitated cannot be denied ; but taking- all the cir- 

 cumstances into account, we think it much more 

 probable that these resembling notes are original to 

 the sedge-bird, and that we might, with equal jus- 

 tice, accuse the swallow and the sky-lark of borrow- 

 ing from it. 



There are several American birds, however, much 

 more celebrated as mockers or imitators than our 

 little sedge-bird. We shall only particularize three, 

 the polyglot-chat, the blue-jay, and the bird univer- 

 sally designated the mocking-bird. 



The Polyglot-Chat, 



The polyglot-chat (Pipra polyglotta, WILSON) 

 was first observed and figured by Catesby, who 

 discovered its singular manners by the difficulty he 



