60 NATURAL HISTORY. 



powers of song, which place them on an equal rank with the Thrushes and Nightingale of the Old 

 World, although their concave wings show their affinities to the Babbling Thrushes. For an account 

 of their habits one must turn to the pages of Audubon,* from which the following remarks are 

 copied verbatim : 



" It is where the great magnolia shoots up its majestic trunk, crowned with evergi-een leaves, and 

 decorated with a thousand beautiful flowers that perfume the air around ; where the forests and fields 

 are adorned with blossoms of every hue ; where the golden orange ornaments the gardens and 

 groves ; where bignonias of various kinds interlace their climbing stems around the white-flowered 

 stuartia, and mounting still higher, cover the summits of the lofty trees around, accompanied with 

 innumerable vines that here and there festoon the dense foliage of the magnificent woods, lending to 

 the vernal breezes a slight portion of the perfume of their clustered flowers ; where a genial warmth 

 seldom forsakes the atmosphere ; where berries and fruits of all descriptions are met with at every step : 

 in a word, kind reader, it is where Nature seems to have paused as she passed over the earth, and, 

 opening her stores, to have strewn with unsparing hand the diversified seeds from which have sprung 

 all the beautiful and splendid forms which I should in vain attempt to describe, that the Mocking-bird 

 should have fixed its abode, there only that its wondrous song should be heard. But where is that 

 favoured land ] It is in this great continent. It is, reader, in Louisiana that these bounties of 

 Nature are in the greatest perfection. It is there that you should listen to the love-song of the Mocking- 

 bird, as I at this moment do. See how he flies round his mate, with motions as light as those of a 

 butterfly ! His tail is widely expanded, he mounts in the air to a small distance, describes a circle, 

 and, again alighting, approaches his beloved one, his eyes gleaming with delight, for she has already 

 promised to be his and his only. His beautiful wings are gently raised, he bows to his love, and 

 again towering upwards, opens his bill and pours forth his melody, full of exultation at the conquest 

 which he has made. They are not the soft sounds of the flute or of the hautboy that I hear, but the 

 sweeter notes of Nature's own music. The mellowness of the song, the varied undulations and gradua- 

 tions, the extent of its compass, the great brilliancy of execution, are unrivalled. There is probably 

 no bird in the world that possesses all the musical qualifications of this king of song, who has derived 

 all from Natui-e's self. Yes, reader, all ! No sooner has he again alighted, and the conjugal contract 

 has been sealed, than, as if his breast was about to be rent with delight, he again pours forth his 

 notes with more softness and richness than before. He now soars higher, glancing around with a 

 vigilant eye, to assure himself that none has witnessed his bliss. When these love scenes, visible only 

 to the ardent lover of Nature, are over, he dances through the air, full of animation and delight, and as 

 if to convince his lovely mate that to enrich her hopes he has much more love in store, he that 

 moment begins anew, and imitates all the notes which Nature has imparted to the other songsters 

 of the grove. For a while each long day and pleasant night are thus spent ; but at a peculiar note of 

 the female he ceases his song and attends to her wishes. A nest is to be prepared, and the choice of a 

 place in which to lay it is to become a matter of mutual consideration. The orange, the fig, the pear- 

 tree of the gardens are inspected ; the thick briar patches are also visited. They appear all so well 

 suited for the purpose in view, and so well does the bird know that man is not his most dangerous 

 enemy that, instead of retiring from him, they at length fix their abode in his vicinity, perhaps in the 

 nearest tree to his window. Dried twigs, leaves, grasses, cotton, flax, and other substances are picked 

 up, carried to a forked branch, and there arranged. Five eggs are deposited in due time, when the 

 male, having little more to do than to sing his mate to repose, attunes his pipe anew. Every now and 

 then he spies an insect on the ground, the taste of which he is sure will please his beloved one. He 

 drops upon it, takes it in his bill, beats it against the earth, and flies to the nest to feed and receive 

 the warm thanks of his devoted female. When a fortnight has elapsed the young brood demand all 

 their care and attention. No cat, no vile snake, no dreaded hawk, is likely to visit their habitation. 

 Indeed, the inmates of the next house have by this time become quite attached to the lovely pair of 

 Mocking-birds, and take pleasure in contributing to their safety. The dew-berries from the 

 fields, and many kinds of fruit from the gardens, mixed with insects, supply the young as well 

 as the parents with food. The brood is soon seen emerging from the nest, and in another fort- 

 night, being now able to fly with vigour, and to provide for themselves, they leave the parent 



* "Birds of North America," Vol. II., p. 187. 



