MOCKINGBIRD. 45 
unexcelled and unequalled skill in interweaving other birds’ notes, whole or in part 
with its own song and moreover in lending melody to these tones, in purifying them 
and, if you will, in perfecting them with wonderful ability. In the Nightingale’s song 
the stanzas are heard clearly and distinétly, and the hearer is able to explain, if not 
to render them in syllables; in the song of the Mockingbird, though certain com. 
binations recur, they never appear with the same regularity as in the Nightingale’s 
warble, nor even in the same approximately regular sequence. All the notes gurgle forth 
wildly intermingled, without, however, any lack of graceful sweetness. The song flows 
out like a rippling brook of tunes and melodies, ever new, ever irresistible and peculiarly 
charming, like the billow that passes, always apparently the same, but still always 
another.” 
One of the best German connoisseurs of birds’ songs, Dr. Golz, Counselor of Justice 
at Berlin, who for a long time kept a Mockingbird which seemed to have been caught 
wild, was able to compare its song with the most select Nightingale’s, and thus ex- 
presses his conviction: ‘‘The Mockingbird in question, evidently old and exceedingly shy, 
was the admiration of all bird fanciers during its two years life in Berlin. It corrobo- 
rated all that Audubon had said and which had been regarded in this city as mere 
exaggeration, because all Mockingbirds heretofore heard were poor songsters. Had it 
been possible to multiply the bird, it would at once have become the foundation for a 
new stock company. 
“According to bird-dealer Brune who had bought it in St. Petersburg, the bird 
came originally from New Orleans and did not sing before the beginning of May, but 
continued from that time to sing loudly till September when it moulted. Its song was 
singularly lacking in discordant notes, was of such fullness and euphony, and uttered 
with such mobility of tongue and throat, that both indoors and in a large bird-gallery 
outdoors numerous master-songsters of other species were cast in the shade. And among 
these were many much admired Nightingales and Stonechats, counted among the rare 
‘oleur’ and ‘voyack’ birds. This Mockingbird’s performance was perfectly organized music 
and of really inexhaustible variety. It was easy to observe that the separate tones 
were fixed but not the sequences, as is the case with a Finch’s song, and that the 
sequence was constructed during the singing in every case in accordance with the feelings 
of the bird at that particular time. 
“No one could tell which of these melodious strophes were its own, and which were 
borrowed. Cabanis, who had beard many wild Mockingbirds in South Carolina, main- 
tained that this bird had doubtless learned to imitate Skylarks, Nightingales, and 
Garden Warblers, with its former owner, for the gurgling, liquid, and flute-like notes of 
these birds could not be original with the Mockingbird. Be this as it may: the Mock- 
ingbird has certainly the ability to attain the highest perfection in singing. This was 
proved by this bird. 
“A distinguished composer was finally requested to fix parts of this Mockingbird’s 
song according to Beckler’s note system of Australian songsters. This was found im- 
possible, however, and after examining Beckler’s notes and previously listening to 
several noted songsters, among them Nightingales, Song Thrushes, and others, he gave 
the following statement: In the performance of this Mockingbird a scale of notes as 
