104 MOCKING-BIRD. 



has been such as to prove it, by proper management, perfectly 

 practicable. In the spring of 1808, a Mr. Klein, living in 

 North Seventh street, Philadelphia, partitioned off about twelve 

 feet square in the third story of his house. This was lighted by 

 a pretty large wire-grated window. In the centre of this small 

 room he planted a cedar bush, five or six feet high, in a box of 

 earth; and scattered about a sufficient quantity of materials suita- 

 ble for building. Into this place a male and female Mocking- 

 bird were put, and soon began to build. The female laid five 

 eggs, all of which she hatched, and fed the young with great af- 

 fection until they were nearly able to fly. Business calling the 

 proprietor from home, for two weeks, he left the birds to the 

 care of his domestics; and on his return found, to his great re- 

 gret, that they had been neglected in food. The young ones were 

 all dead, and the parents themselves nearly famished- The same 

 pair have again commenced building this season, in the same 

 place, and have at this time, July 4, three young likely to do 

 well. The place might be fitted up with various kinds of shrub- 

 bery, so as to resemble their native thickets; and ought to be as 

 remote from noise and interruption of company as possible, 

 and strangers rarely allowed to disturb or even approach them. 

 The Mocking-bird is nine and a half inches long, and thirteen 

 in breadth. Some individuals are, however, larger, and some 

 smaller, those of the first hatch being uniformly the bigest and 

 stoutest.* The upper parts of the head, neck and back, are a dark, 

 brownish ash; and when new moulted, a fine light gray; the 

 wings and tail are nearly black, the first and second row T s of cov- 

 erts tipt with white; the primary coverts, in some males, are 

 wholly white, in others tinged with brown. The three first pri- 

 maries are white from their roots as far as their coverts; the white 

 on the next six extends from an inch to one and three-fourths 

 father down, descending equally on both sides of the feather; 



* Many people are of opinion that there are two sorts, the large and the 

 small Mocking-bird; but after examining 1 great numbers of these birds in vari- 

 ous regions of the United States, I am satisfied that this variation of size is 

 merely accidental, or owing to the circumstance above mentioned. 



