A FAMILY OF LIVELY SINGERS 63 



seems to be perpetually in motion. If you live in the South 

 you can encourage no more delightful and amusing neigh- 

 bor than this star performer in the group of lively singers. 



His love song is entrancing. "Oft in the stilly night," 

 when the moonlight sheds a silvery radiance everywhere, 

 the mocking-bird sings to his mate such delicious music as 

 only the European nightingale can rival. Perhaps the 

 stillness of the hour, the beauty and fragrance of the place 

 where the singer is hidden among the orange blossoms or 

 magnolia, increase the magic of his almost pathetically 

 sweet voice; but surely there is no lovelier sound in nature 

 on this side of the sea. Our poet Lanier declared that this 

 "heavenly bird" will be hailed as "Brother" by Beethoven 

 and Keats when he enters the choir invisible in the spirit 

 world. 



With all his virtues, it must be added, however, that this 

 charming bird is a sad tease. There is no soimd, whether 

 made by bird or beast about him, that he cannot imitate so 

 clearly as to deceive every one but himself. Very rarely 

 can you find a mocking-bird without intelligence and mis- 

 chief enough to appreciate his ventriloquism. Not only 

 does he imitate but he invents all manner of quips and 

 vocal jugglery. 



Wh^n all the states make and enforce proper bird laws 

 there wiU be an end to the barbaric slaughter of many in- 

 nocents for no more worthy end than the trimming of hats 

 for thoughtless women. Birds of bright pliunage have 

 suffered most, of course, but the mocking-birds' nests have 

 been robbed for so many generations to furnish caged fledg- 

 lings for both American and European bird dealers, that 

 shot guns could have done no work more deadly. Where 

 the people are too ignorant to understand what mocking- 



