AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



99 



"LISTEN TO THE MOCKING-BIRD. 



(Title of song by Alice Hawthorne.) 



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This beautiful and enchanting piece of melody is loved by all, but by 

 none, not even by the musically inclined, is its richness realized and 

 tenderness appreciated unless the ear has indeed, enraptured, listed to 

 Mimus polyglottos, the ugly scientific name for this sovereign of 

 American songsters the Mock-bird, as written by Charleston Ray and 

 Catesby, and the Mocking-bird by Bonaparte, concerning which 

 Audubon says, "passing critical inspection by the world's best 

 ornithologists, it is accepted king of all Earth's choir". That from 

 which he quotes reading: 



"And still accepted king of all Earth's choir, 

 The elfish Mocker swells 



In clear, melodious spells, 



Its notes, that cling around the brain like fire". 

 The Mocking-bird, which, in extent and variety of vocal powers, 

 stands unrivalled by the feathered songsters of the world, is peculiar to 

 the western continent, inhabiting considerable area of North and South 

 America, having been traced from New England to Southern Brazil 

 and the valley of the lower Rio de La Plata. Some time ago, my 

 attention was called to a brief note in one of the New England Journals 

 seemingly expressing surprise that a Mocking-bird (one!) had been 

 seen a few days before as far north as Waterbury, Conn., the lady 

 writer concluding, "I have known the bird nesting near New Haven, 

 but have not heard of its coming as far north as this, and I shall watch 

 for its coming next summer", 1904. If she does, anywhere in New 

 England south of Aroostook, she will be rewarded, or, according to 

 Audubon and others of authority, it ought to be found in the territory 

 indicated, mayhap in some remote mountain glen, mingling its soulful 

 song with the melody of Longfellow's "Bells of the Angelus". Even 

 up in the land of Evangeline, in season, has been found this pert happy 

 bird, at least so said in the days when George II was king. They are, 

 however, much more numerous, in our states, south than north of the 



