C "8 ) 



by day and night, and generally feats itfelf on the top of feme fmall tree, where 

 it' exerts a voice fo powerfully ftrong, and fo fweetly melodious as to charm even 

 to rapture thofe who liften to its lays. If we may rely on the atteftations 

 of thofe who have refided on the Weftern Continent, all the thrilling fweetnefs 

 and varied modulations of the nightingale, muft yield to the tranfcendent mufic 

 of the fongfter of America. 



Exclufive ofits own enchanting note, it pofTefTes the power of imitating thofe 

 of moft other birds ; nay it even carries this propenfity fo far as to imitate 

 the voices of various other animals, as well as different kinds of domeftic founds. 



This wonderful bird is as undiftinguilhed by any peculiar gaiety of appearance 

 as the European nightingale. Its general colour is a pale cinereous brown; 

 the wings and tail deeper, or more inclined to blackifli: the under part of 

 the body is nearly white, and the two exterior feathers of the tail are of the 

 fame colour, with dark margins: the bill and legs are black. The covert 

 feathers of the wings are flightly tipped with white, and fome of the fhorter 

 or fecondary wing-feathers are white alfo, forming a mark of that colour on 

 the wing. 



It is nearly of the fize of the common or fong-thrufh, but of a more deli- 

 cate fhape. Of this bird there is a fmaller variety, which has a white line over 

 each eye : this by fome authors (and amongft others by Linnteus,) is made a 

 diftinft fpecies ; Mr. Pennant however has regarded it merely in the light of 

 a variety. It has alfo been feen with a fpotted breaft, which probably is the 

 ftate in which it appears before it has attained its full plumage. 



This bird is an inhabitant of all the warmer parts of America, and is found 

 as far north as the united Britifli States. It chiefly frequents moift woods, and 

 feeds principally on the different kinds of berries. 



STRIX. 



