108 MOCKING BIRD. 
Mocking Bird, which is not only peculiar to the New World, but 
inhabits a very considerable extent of both North and South America ;_ 
having been traced from the states of New England to Brazil, and 
also among many of the adjacent islands. They are, however, much 
more numerous in those states south, than in those north, of the River 
Delaware; being generally migratory in the latter, and resident (at 
least many of them)in the forme A warm climate, and low country, 
not far from the sea, seems most congenial to their nature; accord- 
ingly, we find the species less numerous to the west than east of the 
great range of the Alleghany, in the same parallels of latitude. In the 
severe winter of 1808-9, I found these birds, occasionally, from Fred- 
ericksburg, in Virginia, to the southern parts of Georgia; becoming 
still more numerous the farther I] advanced to the south. The berries 
of the red cedar, myrtle, holly, Cassine shrub, many species of 
smilax, together with gum berries, gall berries, and a profusion of 
others with which the luxuriant, swampy thickets of those regions 
abound, furnish them with a perpetual feast. Winged insects, also, 
of which they are very fond, and remarkably expert at catching, 
‘abound there even in winter, and are an additional inducement to 
residency. Though rather a shy bird in the Northern States, here he 
appeared almost half domesticated, feeding on the cedars, and among 
the thickets of smilax that lined the roads, while I passed within a few 
feet; playing around the planter’s door, and hopping along the shin- 
gles. During the month of February, I sometimes heard a solitary 
one singing; but, on the 2d of March, in the neighborhood of Savan- 
nah, numbers of them were heard on every hand, vieing in song with 
each other, and with the Brown Thrush, making the whole woods 
vocal with their melody. Spring was at that time considerably 
advanced, and the thermometer ranging between 70 and 78 degrees. 
On arriving at New York, on the 22d of the same month, I found 
many parts of the country still covered with snow, and the streets 
piled with ice to the height of two feet; while neither the Brown 
Thrush nor Mocking Bird were observed, even in the lower parts of 
Pennsylvania, until the 20th of April. 
The precise time at which the Mocking Bird begins: to build his 
nest, varies according to the latitude in which he resides. In the 
lower parts of Georgia, he commences building early in April; but 
in Pennsylvania, rarely before the 10th of May; and in New York, 
and the states of New England, still later. There are particular situ- 
ations to which he gives the preference. A solitary thorn bush; an 
almost impenetrable thicket; an orange-tree, cedar, or holly bush, are 
favorite spots, and frequently selected. Itis no great objection with 
‘him that these happen, sometimes, to be near the farm, or mansion- 
house: always ready to defend, but never over-anxious to conceal, 
his nest, he very often builds within a small distance of the house; 
and not unfrequently in a pear or apple-tree; rarely at a greater 
height than six or seven feet trom the ground. The nest varies a 
little with different individuals, according to the conveniency of 
collecting suitable materials. A very complete one is now lying 
before me, and is composed of the following substances: First, a quan- 
tity of dry twigs and sticks, then, withered tops of weeds, of the pre- 
ceding year ‘ntermixed with fine straws, hay, pieces of wool and 
