MOCKING-BIRD. 21 



" in imitations. I liave little doubt, however, but that this bird 

 " would be fully equal to the song of the Nightingale in its whole 

 " compass ; but then, from the attention which the Mocker pays to 

 " any other sort of disagreeable noise, these capital notes would 

 " be always debased by a bad mixture/^ 



On this extract I shall make a few remarks. If, as is here 

 conceded, the Mocking-bird be fully equal to the song of the 

 Nightingale; and, as I can with confidence add, not only to that 

 but to the song of almost every other bird; besides being capable 

 of exactly imitating various other sounds and voices of animals, his 

 vocal powers are unquestionably superior to those of the Nightin- 

 gale, which possesses its own native notes alone. Further, if we 

 consider, as is asserted by Mr. Barrington, that " one reason of the 

 " Nightingale's being more attended to than others is, that it sings 

 " in the night;" and if we believe with Shakspeare, that 



" The Nightingale, if she should sing by day 

 When every goose is cackling, would be thought 

 No better a musician than a Wren,'' 



what must we think of that bird, who, in the glare of day, when a 

 multitude of songsters are straining their throats in melody, over- 

 powers all competition ; and by the superiority of his voice, ex- 

 pression and action, not only attracts every ear, but frequently 

 strikes dumb his mortified rivals ; — When the silence of night as 

 well as the bustle of day, bear witness to his melody; and when 

 even in captivity, in a foreign country, he is declared by the best 

 judges in that country, to be fully equal to the song of their sweet- 

 est bird in its whole compass? The supposed degradation of his 

 song by the introduction of extraneous sounds, and unexpected imi- 

 tations, is in fact, one of the chief excellencies of this bird ; as these 

 changes give a perpetual novelty to his strain, keep attention con- 

 stantly awake, and impress every hearer with a deeper interest in 



VOL. II. F 



