SOME TENNESSEE BIRD NOTES. 



Whoever loves the music of English 

 sparrows should live in Chattanooga ; there 

 is no place on the planet, it is to be hoped, 

 where they are more numerous and perva- 

 sive. Mocking-birds are scarce. To the 

 best of my recollection, I saw none in the 

 city itself, and less than half a dozen in the 

 surrounding country. A young gentleman 

 whom I questioned upon the subject told me 

 that they used to be common, and attributed 

 their present increasing rarity to the perse- 

 cution of boys, who find a profit in selling 

 the young into captivity. Their place, in 

 the city especially, is taken by catbirds; 

 interesting, imitative, and in their own 

 measure tuneful, but poor substitutes for 

 mocking-birds. In fact, that is a role which 

 it is impossible to think of any bird as really 

 filling. The brown thrush, it is true, sings 

 quite in the mocking-bird's manner, and, to 

 my ear, almost or quite as well; but he 

 possesses no gift as a mimic, and further- 



