112 MOCKING BIRD. 



the old males are heard singing with as much spirit as during the spring 

 or summer, while the younger birds are busily engaged in practising, 

 preparatory to the love season. They seldom resort to the interior of 

 the forest either during the day or by night, but usually roost among 

 the foliage of evergreens, in the immediate vicinity of houses in Louisi- 

 ana, although in the Eastern States they prefer low fir trees. 



The flight of the Mocking Bird is performed by short jerks of the 

 body and wings, at every one of which a strong twitching motion of the 

 tail is perceived. This motion is still more apparent while the bird is 

 walking, when it opens its tail like a fan and instantly closes it again. 

 The common cry or call of this bird is a very mournful note, resembling 

 that uttered on similar occasions by its first cousin the Turdus rirfus, or, 

 as it is commonly called, the " French Mocking Bhxl.'" When travel- 

 ling, this flight is only a little prolonged, as the bird goes from tree to 

 tree, or at most across a field, scarcely, if ever, rising higher than the top 

 of the forest. During this migration, it generally resorts to the highest 

 parts of the woods near water-courses, utters its usual mournful note, and 

 roosts in these places. It travels mostly by day. 



Few hawks attack the Mocking Birds, as on their approach, however 

 sudden it may be, they are always ready not only to defend themselves 

 vigorously and with undaunted courage, but to meet the aggressor half 

 way, and force him to abandon his intention. The only hawk that occa- 

 sionally surprises it is the Falco Stanleii, which flies low with great 

 swiftness, and carries the bird off without any apparent stoppage. 

 Should it happen that the ruffian misses his prey, the Mocking Bird in 

 turn becomes the assailant, and pursues the Hawk with great courage, 

 calling in the mean time all the birds of its species to its assistance ; and 

 although it cannot overtake the marauder, the alarm created by their 

 cries, which are propagated in succession among all the birds in the vici- 

 nity, like the watchwords of sentinels on duty, prevents him from suc- 

 ceeding in his attempts. 



The musical powers of this bird have often been taken notice of by 

 European naturaUsts, and persons who find pleasure in listening to the 

 song of different birds whilst in confinement or at large. Some of these 

 persons have described the notes of the Nightingale as occasionally fully 

 equal to those of our bird. I have frequently heard both species in con- 

 finement, and in the wild state, and without prejudice, have no hesitation 

 in pronouncing the notes of the European Philomel equal to those of a 



