THE MOCKIXG BIED. -BIRDS. THE CAT BIRD. 



331 



tary disposition, being usually seen either singly or in 

 pairs. The nest is built in a bush, and composed 

 externally of a large quantity of dead beech leaves, 

 within which is a cup formed of dry grass and mud, 

 smoothly plastered and lined with the fine fibrous roots 

 of plants. The eggs are four or five in number, and 

 of a uniform light blue colour. 



THE MOCKING BIRD (Mimus polyglottus) Plate 10, 

 fig. 34 the most celebrated of the American thrushes, 

 is found not only in the United States, but also in the 

 West Indies and South America, being stationary in 

 the warmer regions, but migratory, or partially so, in 

 the colder. It is between nine and ten inches in 

 length; the plumage of the upper parts is brownish-ash 

 colour, with the wings and tail nearly black ; the lower 

 parts are brownish- white. The Mocking Bird is found 

 principally in the woods of low districts, where it feeds 

 upon the berries which grow in profusion on the luxu- 

 riant thickets of the swamps, and also upon insects, 

 which it often captures on the wing with great dexte- 

 rity. The nest is placed in a thick bush or tree, and is 

 usually composed of twigs, straws, dry grass, wool, and 

 tow, and lined with a layer of fine fibrous roots ; the 

 eggs are generally four in number, of a grayish-blue 

 colour, with large brown patches. During the season 

 of incubation, the male attacks every creature that 

 approaches the nest, exhibiting a particular animosity to 

 the black snake, which, as Wilson tells us, is " the mortal 

 enemyof his eggs and young." " Whenever," says Wil- 

 son, " the insidious approaches of this reptile are discov- 

 ered, the male darts upon it with the rapidity of an arrow, 

 dexterously eluding its bite, and striking it violently 

 and incessantly about the head, where it is very vul- 

 nerable. The snake soon becomes sensible of its 

 clanger, and seeks to escape ; but the intrepid defender 

 of his young redoubles his exertions, and, unless his 

 antagonist be of great magnitude, often succeeds in 

 destroying him." After a victory of this kind, the 

 bird places himself on the top of the bush containing 

 his nest, and pours forth a perfect torrent of song, and 

 this, from its power and wonderful variety, is described 

 as equal to that of any other bird, not even excepting 

 the nightingale. Like that charming English songster 

 he sings both by day and night, and at the latter season 

 his melody is described as " making the whole neigh- 

 bourhood ring." But the most remarkable point 

 connected with the vocal performances of this bird, 

 consists in his wonderful power of imitation, the 

 notes and cries of almost every bird or animal being 

 mixed up with his own proper song in the most extra- 

 ordinary manner. " In his domesticated state," says 

 Wilson, " when he commences his career of song, it is 

 impossible to stand by uninterested. He whistles for 

 the dog; Csesar starts up, wags his tail, and runs to meet 

 his master. He squeaks out like a hurt chicken, and 

 the hen hurries about with hanging wings and bristled 

 feathers, clucking to protect its injured brood. The 

 barking of the dog, the mewing of the cat, the creaking 

 of a passing wheelbarrow, follow with great truth and 

 rapidity." The songs and notes of other small birds 

 are also imitated, and even unproved upon by the Mock- 

 ing Bird; and so perfect are the imitations of this 

 incomparable mimic, that he not unfrequently deceives 



the sportsman, and even the birds themselves whoso 

 note he borrows." This fondness for imitation cannot 

 but impair the beauty of the bird's song, and yet 

 Wilson seems to think that it constitutes one. of its 

 chief excellencies, " as these changes give a perpetual 

 novelty to his strain, keep attention constantly awake, 

 and impress every hearer with a deeper interest in what 

 is to follow." 



THE CAT BIRD (Mimus felivox), which is nearly 

 allied to the preceding, owes his name to the singular 

 note, resembling that of " some vagrant orphan kitten 

 bewildered amongst the briers," which he is fond of 

 uttering. He is a bird of passage in the United 

 States, in the southern parts of which he arrives as early 

 as the end of February ; he takes up his abode in the 

 thickets, and feeds both upon insects and fruits, resort- 

 ing to the gardens in search of the latter. The nest 

 is placed in a thick bush, and resembles that of the 

 Mocking Bird in its construction. 



THE WHITE HEADED BABBLER (Malacocercus 

 griseus), an inhabitant of India, is rather less than our 

 blackbird, and is of a gray colour, with the crown of 

 the head and back of the neck white, and the lower 

 surface tinged with red. It is an abundant and 

 sociable bird, dwelling in hedges, groves, and gardens, 

 and seeking its food, which consists principally of 

 insects and worms, on the ground, where it is seen 

 turning over the dead leaves, and even searching 

 heaps of dung, whence the name of Dirt-bird is given 

 to it by the English in India. This bird has no song. 



THE LAUGHING THRUSH (Pterocydus cachinnam'), 

 another Indian species nearly allied to the preceding, 

 is especially abundant in the thick woods which clothe 

 the Neilgherries, where it is usually seen among the 

 lower branches of the trees, but appears rarely to 

 alight on the ground. Its food consists principally of 

 fruits, varied with catterpillars and other soft-bodied 

 insects. It is a noisy bird, and its name is derived 

 from its peculiar cry, which is described by Mr. Jerdon 

 as " a sort of cracked Punch and Judy laugh." 



THE BLACK-FACED BABBLER (Garrulax chinensis), 

 a native of China, where it is known by the name of 

 Shanhu, is about the size of the common blackbird, and 

 of an olive brown colour above, gray beneath, with the 

 orbits, chin, and throat black. It is an inhabitant oi' 

 the woods, and is a good songster; also imitating 

 almost every sound that it hears. Its food consists ot 

 insects and other small animals, and in confinement it 

 has even been known to kill a snake of a foot in length 

 by striking it through the head with its bill. 



THE WHITE EYE-BROWED THRUSH (Pomatorhimis 

 superdliosus). This bird, which is an inhabitant of 

 the whole southern portion of Australia, is described 

 by Mr. Gould as the most restless, noisy, and queru- 

 lous bird that he ever encountered. It runs and hops 

 about amongst the branches of the trees uttering a 

 " jarring, chattering, and discordant jumble of notes, 

 which are sometimes prec eded by a rapidly repeated 

 shrill piping whistle." These birds are usually me' 1 

 with in small flocks of from six to ten in number ; the} 

 feed upon the ground under the trees, and when dis- 

 turbed fly up to the lowest branch, and then go off in 

 a line to the top of the tree, whence they usually 



