IMITATION AND MIMICRY. 325 



to make, though our attention has been for five 

 summers directed to this point, in a district where 

 the species abounds. We have, on the contrary, 

 ascertained that the flusher utters no call that has 

 the most distant resemblance to that of any other 

 bird, its usual note being a harsh, disagreeable 

 screech*. 



The American mocking-bird attracted the notice 

 of the earlier voyagers to the New World by the 

 variety of its notes and the extraordinary compass 

 and fineness of its voice, and above ail by its appa- 

 rent talent of mimicking the notes and cries of other 

 birds and beasts. According also to Fernandez, 

 Nieremberg, and Sir Hans Sloane, it is not satisfied 

 with barely re-echoing the sounds imitated, but gives 

 them a softness and grace not characteristic of the 

 original, for which reason the Mexicans termed it 

 the bird of four hundred tongues (Cencontlatotli) . 

 These writers also mention its mingling action with its 

 song, accompanying the notes with measured move- 

 ments expressive of successive emotions. In its prelud- 

 ing, it rises slowly with expanded wings, sinking back 

 to the same spot, with its head hanging downwards, 

 as the sky-lark may sometimes be observed to do. 

 When it has advanced further in the performance, 

 it ascends and descends on the wing in a spiral 

 manner, and if the notes are brisk and lively, it 

 describes in the air circles, crossing in all directions. 

 When the notes are loud and rapid it flaps its wings 

 with proportional rapidity, and when the notes are 

 unequal it bounds and flutters in unison ; but as it 

 becomes apparently tired of exertion, its tones soften 

 by degrees, melt into tender strains, and die away in 

 a pause, which has a peculiarly fine effect, while at 

 the same time it gradually diminishes its action, 

 glides gently and smoothly above its station tree 

 * J. R. 



2 P 



