MOCKING BIRD. 109 
tow; and, lastly, a thick layer of fine fibrous roo.s, of a light brown 
color, lines the whole. The eggs, one of which is represented on the 
plate, are four, sometimes five, of a cinereous blue, marked with large 
blotches of brown. The female sits fourteen days, and generally pro- 
duces two broods in the season, unless robbed of her eggs, in which 
case she will even build and lay the third time. ‘She is, however, 
extremely jealous of her nest, and very apt to forsake it if much dis- 
turbed. It is even asserted by some of our bird-dealers that the old 
ones will actually destroy the eggs, and poison the young, if either the 
one or the other have been handled. But I cannot give credit to this 
unnatural report. I know, from my own experience, at least, that it is 
not always their practice ; neither have I ever witnessed a case of the 
kind above mentioned. During the period of incubation, neither cat, 
dog, animal, nor man, can approach the nest without being attacked. 
The cats, in particular, are persecuted whenever they make their 
appearance, til] obliged to retreat. But his whole vengeance is most 
particularly directed against that mortal enemy of his eggs.and young, 
the black snake. Whenever the insidious approaches of this reptile 
are discovered, the male darts upon it with the rapidity of an arrow, 
dexterously eluding its bite, and striking it violently and incessantly 
about the head, where it is very vulnerable. The snake soon becomes 
sensible of its danger, and seeks to escape; but the intrepid defender 
of his young redoubles his exertions, and, unless his antagonist be of 
great magnitude, often succeeds in destroying him. All its pretended 
powers of fascination avail it nothing against the vengeance of this 
noble bird. As the snake’s strength begins to flag, the Mocking Bird 
seizes and lifts it up, partly, from the ground, beating it with his wings ; 
and, when the business is completed, he returns to the repository of 
his young, mounts the summit of the bush, and pours out a torrent of 
song in token of victory. 
As it is of some consequence to be able to distinguish a young 
male bird from a female, the following marks may be attended to; 
by which some pretend to be able to distinguish them in less than 
a week after they are hatched. These are, the breadth and purity of 
the white on the wings, for that on the tail is not so much to be 
depended on. This white, in a full-grow1. male bird, spreads over the 
whole nine primaries, down to, and considerably below, their coverts, 
which are also white, sometimes slightly tipped with brown. The 
white of the primaries also extends equally far on both vanes of the 
feathers. In the female, the white is less pure,.spreads over only 
seven or eight of the primaries, does not descend so far, and extends 
considerably farther down on the broad, than on the narrow, side of 
the feathers. The black is also more of a brownish cast. 
The young birds, if intended for the cage, ought not to be left till 
they are nearly ready to fly, but should be taken rather young than 
otherwise; and may be fed, every half hour, with milk, thickened w:th 
Indian meal; mixing occasionally with it a little fresh meat, cut or 
minced very fine. After they begin to eat of their own accord, they 
ought still to be fed by hand, though at longer intervals, and a few 
cherries, strawberries, &c., now and then thrown in to them. The 
same sort of food, adding grasshoppers and fruit, particularly the 
various kinds of berries in which they delight, and plenty of clear, fine 
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