60 LIFTING THE WINGS. 



beautiful movement, the object of which I have 

 been unable to discover. At the end of a run 

 he lifts his wings, opening them wide, displaying 

 their whole breadth, which makes him look like 

 a gigantic butterfly, then instantly lowers his 

 head and runs again, generally picking up some- 

 thing as he stops. A correspondent in South 

 Carolina, familiar with the ways of the bird, 

 suggests that his object is to startle the grass- 

 hoppers, or, as he expresses it, to " flush his 

 game." I watched very closely and could not 

 fix upon any theory more plausible, though it 

 seemed to be weakened by the fact that the 

 nestlings, as mentioned above, did the same 

 thing before they thought of looking for food. 

 The custom is not invariable ; sometimes it is 

 done, and sometimes not. 



The mocking-bird cannot be said to possess 

 a gentle disposition, especially during the time 

 of nesting. He does not seem malicious, but 

 rather mischievous, and his actions resemble 

 the naughty though not wicked pranks of an 

 active child. At that time he does, it must be 

 admitted, lay claim to a rather large territory, 

 considering his size, and enforces his rights 

 with many a hot chase and noisy dispute, as 

 remarked above. Any mocking-bird who dares 

 to flirt a feather over the border of the ground 

 he chooses to consider his own has to battle 



