162 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



used to call a clog. The dog was a foolish creature, and ran whenever called by a 

 whistle. The man and the dog were both puzzled as to whence the call came, but 

 both concluded that a very small boy some distance away was the whistler. The 

 dog ran, delighted to have found a new friend, but was in turn whistled back by his 

 master. The whistle was repeated from the opposite direction ; and the gentleman 

 followed, venting his wrath on the innocent boy, who had probably not learned how 

 to whistle, remarking, " Dat de poy he vant to shteal mein dog." The cause of 

 all the trouble, a Mocking-bird perched out of sight, was delighted at the mischief 

 lie had caused. 



The bird is a ventriloquist as well as a mimic, and will, at times, cause his 

 voice to seem to come from any point except the one at which he may be. 



Words fail to adequately describe his wondrous song. Both in his wild and 

 domestic states, as soon as the moon rises he commences his beautiful melody. 

 The hunters in the Southern States, as soon as they hear the Mocking-bird com- 

 mence to sing, know that the moon is rising, and the night-chase may begin. An 

 English writer, in comparing the Nightingale to the Mocking-bird, concedes that the 

 latter's natural notes are equally as melodious as those of his own " King," but that 

 the song is marred by the harsh sounds which are occasionally introduced. One of 

 the chief charms of the bird's song is the novelties which he is ever introducing : 

 he does nothing by rule, and never sings the same parts twice in succession. 



A great many people, while on a Southern tour in winter, wishing to bring back 

 a remembrance of the pleasant times enjoyed, become infatuated with the song of 

 the Mocking-bird, and, in most instances never having been lovers of bird-music, 

 are totally at a loss to account for the difference between the Mocking-birds which 

 they hear when at home, and those charmers in their native clime. There is no 

 difference whatever in song : to be sure, the circumstances are more favorable, and 

 consequently impress a mind which has never developed a taste for such music ; but 

 the difference in price is enormous. A bird of the first quality may be bought at a 

 lower figure in the Northern States than in the Southern, for the reason that the 

 Southern people are lovers of their songster-kings, and, becoming attached to them, 

 do not care to part with them. The same grade of bird may be bought in Northern 

 cities as in the Southern, and at a lower price in the North, for the reason above 

 given. 



A Mocking-bird is probably the easiest trained of all songsters : his remarkable 

 intelligence in a great degree accounts for this. He will incline his head to one side, 

 and listen to every strain whistled to him, and, after hearing his lesson, will repeat it 

 to himself, always interpolating the oddest of notes, trying to give one the impression 

 that he does not care about his teacher. But he is very diligent, and repeats over 

 and over every thing whistled, and, in a remarkably short space of time, gives per- 

 fectly one, two, and even three, tunes. To hear a well-trained bird go over his tunes 

 with an odd cackle or crow as an encore, is very laughable. He may become very 

 tame, and be taught numberless tricks, which do not in the least interfere with his 

 singing. 



The young Mocking-birds of the first brood are the ones selected as choice 

 birds ; for they are, as a rule, hardier, tougher birds than the later brood. 



The selection of nestlings is attended with great care on the part of bird-dealers. 



