62 THE REDBREAST, &c. 



ingale begins its song in the evening, and often continues it 

 during the whole night. Its attachment to a particular place is 

 remarkable. During several weeks together, it will, if undis- 

 turbed, perch on the same tree, and from thence every evening 

 pour its fascinating melody. 



THE REDBREAST 



Is a little bird, which is celebrated for its affection to man- 

 kind, rather than for its song. This bird, however, has the 

 sweetest note of any in England, and makes every hedge vocal 

 The notes of other birds are louder and their inflections more 

 sonorous ; but the redbreast's voice is soft, tender, and melo- 

 dious. The confidence which this little bird appears to place 

 in man, together with its inoffensive disposition, claims and ob- 

 tains his pity and protection. Such indeed is the universal 

 prejudice in its favour, from whatever cause it may originate, 

 that scarcely any one will offer it an injury : happy and benefi- 

 cial prejudice, that excites benevolence and prevents the abuse 

 of any of God's creatures! 



THE SWALLOW 



With its varieties is too well known to require any description, 

 and the same may be said of the swallow tribe. It will be recol- 

 lected that in our general observations some remarks were made 

 concerning the migrations of these and other birds of passage. 

 Little more can be added on that subject, for it appears that 

 this important part of their history will yet for a long time re- 

 main enveloped in obscurity. 



The different species of this class of birds, which constitute 

 the subject of this and the preceding chapter, are so numerous, 

 and each of these subdivided into so many varieties, that it would 

 be an endless task to range, with the minuteness of a nomen- 

 clator, through all their ramifications. We shall therefore finish 

 this survey of so beautiful and so curious a department of Nature, 

 by the exhibition of two more of these creatures, which are sin- 

 gular and striking objects in a view of the animal creation, and 

 have always attracted the curiosity of those who delight to con- 

 template the God of Nature in his works. 



THE AMERICAN MOCK-BIRD, 



Without any exterior attraction, possesses faculties which ren- 

 der it one of the greatest objects of curiosity and admiration 

 among the feathered tribes. It is about the size of a thrush, of a 

 uniform grey colour, with a reddish bill. Its natural notes are 

 musical and solemn ; but it likewise possesses the singular power 

 of assuming the tone of every other animal, whether quadruped 



