MOCKING BIRD. ^ 



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 build- 

 ing 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 situations to 

 which he gives the preference. A solitary thorn bush, an 

 almost impenetrable thicket, an orange tree, cedar, or holly 

 bush, are favourite spots, and frequently selected. It is 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 from 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 quantity of dry twigs and sticks, then withered tops 

 of weeds of the preceding year, intermixed with fine straws, 

 hay, pieces of wool and tow ; and, lastly, a thick layer of fine 

 fibrous roots, of a light brown colour, lines the whole. The 

 eggs, one of which is represented at fig. 2, are four, sometimes 

 five, of a cinereous blue, marked with large blotches of brown. 

 The female sits fourteen days ; and generally produces 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 



