196 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



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 magni- 

 tude, 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, ho returns to the repository of his young, 

 mounts the summit of the bush, and pours out a torrent of 

 song in token of victory. 



4. The plumage of the mocking-bird, though none of 

 the homeliest, has nothing gaudy or brilliant in it, and, 

 had he nothing else to recommend him. would scarcely 

 entitle him to notice ; but his figure is well proportioned, 

 and even handsome. The ease, elegance, and rapidity of 

 his movements, the animation of his eye, and the intelli- 

 gence he displays in listening and laying up lessons from 

 almost every species of the feathered creation within his 

 hearing, are really surprising, and mark the peculiarity of 

 his genius. To these qualities we may add that of a voice 

 full, strong, and musical, and capable of almost every 

 modulation, from the clear, mellow tones of the wood-thrush 

 to the savage scream of the bald eagle. In measure and 

 accent he faithfully follows his originals. In force and 

 sweetness of expression he greatly improves upon them. 



5. In his native groves, mounted on the top of a tall 

 bush or half-grown tree, in the dawn of a dewy morning, 

 while the woods are already vocal with a multitude of 

 warblers, his admirable song rises pre-eminent over every 

 competitor. The ear can listen to his music alone, to 

 which that of all the others seems a mere accompaniment. 

 Neither is this strain altogether imitative. His own native 

 notes, which are easily distinguishable by such as are well 



