WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIKDS. 



sional relish of the common house spider. This insect seems 

 to act in some way medicinally upon many varieties of birds, 

 and even the finches are occasionally benefited by them. Of 

 the song and peculiar habits of the mocking bird Wilson 



" In measure and accent, he faithfully follows his origin- 

 als. In force and sweetness of expression he greatly im- 

 proves upon them. In his native groves, mounted on the 

 top of a tall bush, or half-grown tree, in the dawn of dewy 

 morning, while the woods are already vocal with a multitude 

 of warblers, his admirable song rises pre-eminent. Over 

 every other competitor the ear can listen to his music alone, 

 to which that of all others seems a mere accompaniment. 

 Neither is this strain altogether imitative. His own native 

 notes, which are easily distinguishable by such as are well 

 acquainted with those of our various song-birds, are bold 

 and full, and varied seemingly beyond all limits. They con- 

 sist of short expressions of two, three, or, at the most, five 

 or six syllables ; generally interspersed with intonations, and 

 all of them uttered with great emphasis and rapidity ; and 

 continued with undiminished ardor for half an hour, or an 

 hour, at a time. His expanded wings and tail, glistening 

 with white, and the buoyant gaiety of his action, arresting 

 the eye, as his song most irresistibly does the ear, he sweeps 

 round with enthusiastic ecstasy he mounts and descends as 

 his song swells or dies away ; and as my friend Mr. Bartram 

 has beautifully expressed it, 'He bounds aloft with the 

 celerity of an arrow, as if to recover or recall his very soul, 

 expired in the last elevated strain.' While thus exerting 

 himself, a bystander destitute of sight would suppose that 

 the whole feathered tribe had assembled together, on a trial 

 of skill ; each striving to produce his utmost effect ; so per- 

 fect are his imitations. He many times deceives the sports- 

 man, and sends him in search of birds that perhaps are not 

 within miles of him ; but whose notes 'he exactly imitates. 

 Even birds themselves are frequently imposed on by this 



