238 MOCKINGBIRD. 



former is a petulant, whining, nasal tchay, to me one of 

 the most disagreeable sounds in Nature, and so unlike 

 the bird's song that he seems possessed of a dual person- 

 ality. The Catbird's song, from a musical standpoint, is 

 excelled by that of few of our birds. His voice is full 

 and rich, his execution and phrasing are faultless ; but 

 the effect of his song, sweet and varied as it is, is marred 

 by the singer's too evident consciousness. 



The Catbird's relative, the Mockingbird, is an abun- 

 dant inhabitant of the southern United States from Vir- 



Mockingbird, ghiia to California, and ranges south- 

 Mimus poiyylvttos. ward into Mexico. In the Eastern 



Plate LXVI. States it is not common north of south- 



ern Illinois and Virginia, but in summer it is found in 

 small numbers as far north as Massachusetts, where a few 

 pairs Ijreed each season. It is exceedingly domestic in 

 its habits, and in the South there are few suitable gar- 

 dens, either in the town or country, which are not inhab- 

 ited by a pair of Mockingbirds. 



TJie power of mimicry for ^vhich this bird is cele- 

 brated has, I think, been unduly exaggerated, and the 

 fact that its usual song contains several notes resembling 

 those of other species doubtless in part accounts for its 

 much overrated al)ility as a mimic. It is unnecessary, 

 however, for the ]\Iockingbird to borrow the notes of other 

 birds, for his own song places him in the front rank of 

 our songsters. It is delivered with a spirit and animation 

 which add greatly to its attractiveness. The Mocking- 

 bird does not sing between mouthfuls, as do the Vireos, 

 or quietly from a perch, like the Towhee or Thrasher ; 

 he frerpiently changes his position, hopping from place 

 to place, making sliort flights, bounding into the air, and 

 displaying the white markings of his wings and tail, as 

 though it were impossible for him to give expression to 

 his emotion througli the medium of voice alone. During 



