174 



MOCKING BIRD. 



Attempts have been made to induce these charming birds 

 to pair, and rear their young in a state of confinement, and 

 the result has been such as to prove it, by proper management, 

 perfectly practicable. In the spring of 1808, a Mr Klein, 

 living in North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, partitioned off 

 about twelve feet square in the third story of his house. This 

 was lighted by a pretty large wire-grated window. In the 

 centre of this small room he planted a cedar bush, five or six 

 feet high, in a box of earth, and scattered about a sufficient 

 quantity of materials suitable for building. Into this place, 

 a male and female mocking bird were put, and soon began to 

 build. The female laid five eggs, all of which she hatched, 

 and fed the young with great affection until they were nearly 

 able to fly. Business calling the proprietor from home for 

 two weeks, he left the birds to the care of his domestics ; and 

 on his return, found, to his great regret, that they had been 

 neglected in food. The young ones were all dead, and the 

 parents themselves nearly famished. The same pair have again 

 commenced building this season, in the same place, and have at 

 this time, July 4, 1809, three young, likely to do well. The 

 place might be fitted up with various kinds of shrubbery, so 

 as to resemble their native thickets ; and ought to be as 

 remote from noise and interruption of company as possible, 

 and strangers rarely allowed to disturb, or even approach 

 them. 



The mocking bird is nine and a half inches long, and 

 thirteen in breadth. Some individuals are, however, larger, 

 and some smaller, those of the first hatch being uniformly the 

 biggest and stoutest.* The upper parts of the head, neck, 

 and back, are a dark brownish ash, and when new moulted, a 

 fine light grey ; the wings and tail are nearly black, the first 



* Many people are of opinion that there are two sorts, the large and 

 the small mocking bird ; but, after examining great numbers of these 

 birds in various regions of the United States, I am satisfied that this 

 variation of size is merely accidental, or owing to the circumstance 

 above mentioned. 



