IV. 



A TRICKSY SPIRIT. 



FOB, bird-lovers who know the mocking-bird 

 only as a captive in our houses he has few at- 

 tractions : a mere loud-voiced echo of the inhar- 

 monious sounds man gathers about his home, 

 car-bells, street cries, and other unpleasing 

 noises, and choosing for his performances the 

 hours one wants to sleep. Unfortunate is the 

 neighborhood in which one is kept. Such was 

 my feeling about the bird before I knew him 

 in freedom, where he has a song of his own. 

 But in my search for native birds I often saw 

 the mocker, was surprised to notice his intelli- 

 gence of look and manner, and at last took one 

 into my bird-room, resolving that the moment 

 he began to " mock " he should be given to 

 some one who liked having the street in his 

 house. My bird was very obliging in the mat- 

 ter ; six months I watched him daily, and he 

 was kind enough not to utter a sound, except 

 an occasional harsh " chack." Probably he had 



