MY PET WOOD THEUSHES. 207 



the edge of an extensive woodland, intersected here and 

 there by large old fields or commons which had been deserted 

 for years. These were the most likely places to find the 

 highest specimens of the Southern mocking bird. After 

 leaving the buggy, we traversed on foot some quarter of a 

 mile of foot-path, over an undulating upland, we suddenly 

 found ourselves introduced to a small meadow, on the bank 

 of a feeble rivulet. 



This had many years ago been a farm, but had for some 

 cause been deserted. I saw at once, it was the place for 

 mocking birds, and we accordingly sat down beneath the 

 shade of a heavy pine to watch the aspects of the scene. 



In a little while, we saw in the meadow below us two mock- 

 ing birds flitting to and fro, as if this was their familiar home. 

 The male was a splendid specimen, and although I shot at 

 it with, as I supposed, my nerves worked up to the last de- 

 gree of tension, I never hit it, although within astonishingly 

 short distances. At last, as my wife had brought out paper 

 and pencils for drawing, and wires for fixing the bird in po- 

 sition, I was compelled to shoot one of the pair in spite of 

 myself. It was fixed upon the wires immediately, and she 

 commenced making the drawing beneath the shade of a pine. 



I left her, saying " I am convinced that these birds have 

 a nest in this meadow ; you continue your drawing, while I 

 go to look for it." 



I wandered around the meadow, looking into every isolat- 

 ed clump or thicket without distinction. Every secret place 

 had been searched, and as the mate came along, I, in a sple- 

 netic mood, brought it down also. But then the idea haunted 

 me they have a nest of young in this meadow, and now 

 that I have done murder upon their natural protectors, my 

 business is to protect the callow children of song. 



There was a small clump of blackberry vines mingled 

 with more vigorous shrubs, and more luxuriant foliage, which 

 occupied the central pla.ce of this old field, and into which I 

 had glanced an hundred times in passing. The foliage was 



