BOYHOOD AND BIRDS. 61 



saw it alight in some high trees on a plantation half a mile 

 distant, when my gun was loaded with great care, and I fol- 

 lowed with the same success as before. And so that whole 

 afternoon was passed, crawling up ditches and fence-rows, 

 through the briars ; over ploughed ground, rough stones 

 through marsh and puddle amidst stumps and weeds, and 

 last year's stubble, until, as night closed and this malicious 

 phantom-bird had disappeared beneath its shadows 



I e'en creep forth, all bruised and torn, 

 Sore, hungry, weary and forlorn ! 



I did not soon forget that evening's experience, and the 

 only consolation I had when I came out of the chase in 

 such dismal plight, was, that I had left it convinced of this 

 being the mocking bird. 



I had vaguely suspected this when I first saw the white 

 bars across the wings ; but then the difficulty in getting near 

 enough to see the general color, combined with the improb- 

 ability of such a bird being here for I had as soon expected to 

 have seen a bird of Paradise had prevented me from realizing 

 it until the accidents of the pursuit enabled me to see the 

 dark blueish gray of the back, and then I was satisfied. 

 This discovery only added to my eagerness ; but the result 

 of the day's work left me with no stomach for such another 

 chase. 



Taking these two receptions together, it is little to be won- 

 dered at that the Pioneer Birds should regard ours as a rather 

 inhospitable region, and for a long time continue to give 

 wide berths to every creature bearing the detestable effigy 

 of their persecutors. 



Although the old man B. and myself had undoubtedly the 

 worst of it, yet it was altogether natural and proper that the 

 proud and conscious lords of song should treat us with hau- 

 teur as boorish and ignorant beings, who, incapable of appre- 

 ciating the divine harmonies they were come to bestow upon 



