THE MOCKING BIRD. 63 



in the presence of the originals, and can scarcely realise the 

 fact, that the whole of this singular concert is the effort of a 

 single bird. Indeed, it is impossible to listen to these Orphean 

 strains, when delivered by a superior songster in his native 

 woods, without being deeply .affected, and almost rivetted to 

 the spot, by the complicated feelings of wonder and delight, in 

 which, from the graceful and sympathetic action, as well as 

 enchanting voice of the performer, the eye is no less gratified 

 than the ear.* 



DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE MALE AND FEMALE. 



The young male bird, which must be selected as a singer, 

 may be distinguished by the breadth and purity of the white 

 on the wings. This white spot, in a full-grown male, spreads 

 over the whole nine primaries, down to, and considerably 

 below, their coverts, which are also white, sometimes slightly 

 tipped with brown. The white of the primaries, also, extends to 

 the same distance on both vanes of the feathers. In the female, 

 the white is less clear, spreads only over seven or eight of the 

 primaries, does not descend so far, and extends considerably 

 further down on the broad than on the narrow side of the 

 feathers. The black is also more inclined to brown. 



FOOD AND MANAGEMENT. 



In a state of freedom, the principal food of the mocking 

 bird consists of insects, grasshoppers, and worms. Dew- 

 berries from the fields, and many kinds of our cultivated 

 fruits, together with insects, supply the young as well as the 

 parents with food. In winter, they chiefly subsist on berries, 

 particularly those of the Virginia juniper, (red cedar,) wax 

 myrtle, holly, smilax, sumach, sour gum, and a variety of 

 others. 



• Nuttall. 



mm* *m 



