48 MOCKINGBIRD." % 
sitting bird started from the nest, that I found the structure, built almost entirely of 
moss and hidden in moss. Some nests which I found were built exteriorly of very 
strong twigs, others were roofed with the same. These sagacious birds, therefore, know 
how to adapt themselves to existing circumstances. A pair whose exposed nest is once 
destroyed, will ever after build in a concealed nook. The exterior of the nest is usually 
composed of twigs, plant stems, grasses, pieces of paper and rags, strings, and feathers; 
it is lined with finer grasses and rootlets. It is never placed far from the ground, 
usually from three to seven feet, rarely higher. The eggs, four to five in number, are 
pale greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown. These spots are rather large and quite 
uniformly scattered over the whole egg. The male is too much taken up with singing 
to participate in the building of the nest or hatching of the eggs. He usually perches 
on the top of a tree, or on a roof or chimney, where he sings while he continually looks 
about in all directions. He will courageously defend the nest against every intruder. 
Cats, dogs, and other animals, sometimes even man, are valiantly attacked as soon as 
they approach the nest. In company with Kingbirds the Mockingbird will often attack 
birds of prey and pursue them for long distances. In the South there are usually two 
broods, further north only one. 
The Mockingbird’s flight is not particularly quick and persevering; when under- 
taken over large tree- and bushless places it is slow and heavy. Still it is a better 
flyer than the Catbird and Thrasher. On the other hand, the Mockingbird is very agile 
in its native haunts, when flitting from tree to tree, and from thicket to thicket. It is 
completely at home among the branches of trees and shrubs. It often descends to the 
gound, runs about like the true Thrushes but with elevated tail, and seeks here the 
greater portion of its inseét food. At such times it carefully examines the dead leaves 
and all the nooks and corners under shady bushes for insects. The number of noxious 
species it devours, is immense. It has also a taste for small fruits, figs, grapes, cherries, 
&c., and, no doubt, the birds demand their tithe. But in comparison with the great 
benefit resulting from the destruction of an inestimable number of noxious insects, the 
damage done is trifling and wholly inconsiderable.—Mockingbirds are particularly fond 
of the juicy poke-berries', the beautiful purple juice of which colors the whole plumage 
about the bill, and on the breast and neck. They are also fond of the berries of a 
species of red pepper which grows wild, and which is, therefore, called bird-pepper. In 
the South during autumn and winter the fruits of the Mexican mulberry’, the holly, 
the magnolia, and mistletoe, are eaten. Mr. Albert Fries, of St. Nicholas, Florida, told 
me that they were especially fond of the berries of a bush which is known in that 
State by the name of sparkle-berry*. He has numbers of these shrubs, and also hollies 
growing for this special purpose of providing food for the bird, in his beautiful park 
on the St. John’s. 
The Mockingbird is such a cheery, lively bird, that it would attract general 
attention even if it were not a beautiful songster. Its talent of imitating other birds’ 
and its own sonorous song, at once make it noticeable wherever it occurs. It knows 
better than any of our other birds how to acquire the love and good will of man. 
Its happy disposition, its extraordinarily developed gift of mimicry, its wonderful song, 
1 Phytolacca decandra. 2 Callicarpa americana. % Vaccineum arboreum 
