702 APPENDIX. 



infers (their common food) is frefh meat, and par- 

 ticularly the hearts of animals. 



I have happened, however, to hear the Ameri- 

 can mocking-bird in great perfection at MeJf.VogWs 

 and Scott's, in Love- Lane, Eafi cheap. 



This bird is believed to be ftill living, and haih 

 been in England thefe fix years. During the fpace 

 of a minute, he imitated the woodlark, chaffinch, 

 blackbird, thrufh, and fparrow. I was told alfo, 

 that he would bark like a dog ; fo that the bird 

 feems to have no choice in his imitations, though 

 his pipe comes neareft to our nightingale of any 

 bird I have yet met with. 



With regard to the original notes, however, of 

 this bird, we are ftill at a lofs *, as this can only 

 be known by thofe who are accurately acquainted 

 with the fong of the other American birds. 



Kalm indeed informs us, that the natural fong 

 is excellent*; but this traveller feems not to have 

 9 been long enough in America to have diftinguifh- 



ed what were the genuine notes : with us, mi- 

 mics do not often fucceed but in imitations. 



I have little doubt, however, but that this bird 

 would be fully equal to the fong of the nightin- 

 gale in its whole compafs; but then, from the atten- 

 tion which the mocker pays to any other fort of 

 difagreeable noifes, thefe capital notes would be 

 v always debafed by a bad mixture. 



* Vol. I. p. 219. 



We 



