20 



MOCKING-BIRD 



Were it not to seem invidious in the eyes of foreigners, I might 

 in this place make a comparative statement between the powers of 

 the Mocking-bird, and the only bird I believe in the world worthy 

 of being compared with him, the European Nightingale. This, 

 however, I am unable to do from my own observation, having never 

 myself heard the song of the latter; and even if I had, perhaps 

 something might be laid to the score of partiality ^ which, as a faith- 

 ful biographer I am anxious to avoid. I shall, therefore, present 

 the reader with the opinion of a distinguished English naturalist, 

 and curious observer, on this subject, the Hon. Daines Barrington, 

 who at the time he made the communication was vice president of 

 the Royal Society, to which they were addressed.^ 



" It may not be improper, here,'^ says this gentleman, " to 

 " consider whether the Nightingale may not have a very formi- 

 " dable competitor in the An^erican Mocking-bird ; tho almost all 

 " travellers agree, that the concert in the European woods is supe- 

 " rior to that of the other parts of the globe." " I have happened, 

 " however, to hear the American Mocking-bird, in great perfection, 

 " at Messrs. Vogels and Scotts, in Love-lane, Eastcheap. This 

 " bird is believed to be still living, and hath been in England these 

 " six years. During the space of a minute he imitated the Wood- 

 " lark. Chaffinch, Blackbird, Thrush and Sparrow; I was told also 

 " that he would bark like a dog; so that the bird seems to have 

 " no choice in his imitations ; tho his pipe comes nearest to our 

 " Nightingale of any bird I have yet met with. With regard to 

 " the original notes, however, of this bird, we are still at a loss, as 

 " this can only be known by those who are accurately acquainted 

 " with the song of the other American birds. Kalm indeed informs 

 " us, that the natural song is excellent;! but this traveller seems not 

 " to have been long enough in America to have distinguished what 

 " were the genuine notes : with us mimics do not often succeed but 



* Phil. Trans. voL LXII, part ii, p. 284. f Travels, vol. I, p. 219, 



9 



