22 MOCKING-BIRD. 



notes alone. Further ; if we consider, as is asserted by Mr. Barrington, 

 that " one reason of the Nightingale's being more attended to than 

 others is, that it sings in^the night;" and if we believe with Shaks- 

 peare, that 



" The Nightingale, if she should sing by day 

 When every goose is cackling, would be thought 

 No better a musician than a Wren," 



what must we think of that bird, who in the glare of day, when a mul- 

 titude of songsters are straining their throats in melody, overpowers 

 all competition ; and by the superiority of his voice, expression and 

 action, not only attracts every ear, but frequently strikes dumb his 

 mortified rivals ; — when the silence of night as well as the bustle of 

 day, bear witness to his melody ; and when even in captivity, in a 

 foreign country, he is declared by the best judges in that country, to be 

 fully equal to the song of their sweetest bird in its whole compass? 

 The supposed degradation of his song by the introduction of extraneous 

 sounds, and unexpected imitations, is, in fact, one of the chief excel- 

 lencies of this bird ; as these changes give a perpetual novelty to his 

 strain, keep attention constantly awake, and impress every hearer with 

 a deeper interest in what is to follow. In short, if we believe in the 

 truth of that mathematical axiom, that the whole is greater than a part, 

 all that is excellent or delightful, amusing or striking, in the music of 

 birds, must belong to that admirable songster, whose vocal powers are 

 equal to the whole compass of their whole strains. 



The native notes of the Mocking-bird have considerable resemblance 

 to those of the Brown Thrush, but may easily be distinguished by their 

 greater rapidity, sweetness, energy of expression and variety. Both, 

 however, have in many parts of the United States, particularly in those 

 to the south, obtained the name of Mocking-bird. The first, or Brown 

 Thrush, from its inferiority of song being called the French, and the 

 other the English Mocking-bird. A mode of expression probably 

 originating in the prejudices of our forefathers ; with whom everything 

 French was inferior to everything English.* 



The Mocking-bird is frequently taken in trap-cages, and by proper 

 management may be made sufficiently tame to sing. The upper parts 

 of the cage (which ought to be of wood) should be kept covered, until 

 the bird becomes a little more reconciled to confinement. If placed in 

 a wire cage, uncovered, he will soon destroy himself in attempting to 



* The observations of Mr. Barrington, in the paper above referred to, make this 

 supposition still more probable. " Some Nightingales," says he, " are so vastly 

 inferior, that the bird-catchers will not keep them, branding them with the name 

 of Frenchmen," P. 283. 



