72 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
my only annoyance — for tlie old gentleman kept insinuating 
as we walked on towards my father's, that these were 
" mighty strange sort of mocking birds," until my insulted 
dignity as a naturalist and discoverer, fairly blazed out in 
wrath, as I remarked in a most emphatic manner, 
"Mr. B. I repeat to you sir, that this is a new variet}^ 
of mocking birds ! When you have spent as many nights as 
I have sir, in ascertaining the fact — when you have heard 
the male parent sing as many hours as I have, while you 
were sound asleep, then you too will be convinced that I 
have not only discovered a new variety, but that I have now 
in my possession a nest of the finest singers in the world." 
This long speech, with all its emphasis, did not seem to 
entirely convince the old man, who could not get over the 
way they bit, and that black spot under the eye ; but, I saw 
it staggered him some, and when, as we were parting, he 
rather hinted that he should like to have a male bird, if they 
turned out as I expected, I turned upon him quite a com- 
passionate look as I promised smilingly, " of course' — in case 
they turn out to be mocking birds, Mr. B. you shall have 
one of the males if I have two." 
This was my grand triumph, and I was proud as Lucifer 
when I exhibited my captives to the family ; and great were 
the rejoicings of my sister over my brilliant success. But the 
triumph was incomplete, while one of the precious family 
remained behind, and soon I was on my return, accompanied 
by a strong negro man to dig the runaway out of the rocks. 
It was a work of several hours, and during its progress I ob- 
served something curious on one of the thorn bushes near — • 
that had died the year before ; though the thorns were stiff 
and tough as ever. This phenomenon consisted of the bodies 
of some dozen of the common gray or fence lizard, which 
had been impaled carefully upon the topmost thorns. They 
seemed to be in all stages of demolishment and decay, from 
the entire reptile that was bleeding and scarcely cold, to the 
mere blackened fragment that had been eaten away close up 
