MOCKING-BIRD 



23 



and told me^ that he did not expect to lose one out of ten of them. 

 Cleanliness, and regularity in feeding, are the two principal things 

 to be attended to, and these rarely fail to succeed. 



The eagerness with which the nest of the Mocking-bird is 

 sought after in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, has rendered 

 this bird extremely scarce for an extent of several miles around 

 the city. In the country round Wilmington and Newcastle they 

 are very numerous, from whence they are frequently brought here 

 for sale. The usual price of a singing bird is from seven to fifteen, 

 and even twenty dollars. I have known fifty dollars paid for a re- 

 markable fine singer; and one instance where one hundred dollars 

 were refused for a still more extraordinary one. 



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 prac- 

 ticable. In the spring of 1808, a Mr. Klein, living in North Se- 

 venth 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 center 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 hatch- 

 ed, 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 build- 

 ing this season, in the same place, and have at this time, July 4, 

 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 



