NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Deceptious mimicries Gesticulations. 



the creaking of the hinges of a sign-post in high 

 winds. 



This little capricious mimic seems to have a 

 singular pleasure in archly leading other birds 

 astray. He is said at one time to allure the 

 smaller birds with the call of their mates; and 

 when they come near, to terrify them with the 

 scream of an eagle. There is scarcely a bird of 

 the forest that is not at some time deceived by 

 his call. But he appears to imitate only to em- 

 bellish, and in appropriating to himself every 

 sound that strikes his ear, he seems to be striv- 

 ing to enrich and perfect his own notes, and to 

 exercise his indefatigable throat in every pos- 

 sible manner. His song continues throughout 

 almost the whole year, and he not only sings with 

 grace, but with action and feeling. 



It is not, however, in the powers of voice 

 alone, that these birds are pleasing; they may 

 even be said to dance. When excited into a 

 kind of ectasy by their own music, they gradually 

 raise themselves from the place where they stand, 

 and with their wings extended, drop with their 

 head down to the same spot, and whirl round, 

 accompanying their melody with a variety of 

 pretty gesticulations. 



They frequently build their nests in the bushes 

 or fruit-trees about houses; but they are so shy, 

 that if a person only looks at the nest, they im- 

 mediately forsake it. The nest is of the same 



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