MOCKING-BIRD. 
23 
get out. These birds, however, by proper treatment may be brought to 
sing perhaps superior to those raised by hand, and cost less trouble. 
The opinion which the naturalists of Europe entertain of the great diffi- 
culty of raising the Mocking-bird, and, that not one in ten survives, is 
very incorrect. A person called on me a few days ago, with twenty- 
nine of these birds, old and young, which he had carried about the fields 
with him for several days, for the convenience of feeding them while 
engaged in trapping others. He had carried them thirty miles, and 
intended carrying them ninety-six miles farther, viz., to New York ; and 
told me, that he did not expect to lose one out of ten of them. Cleanli- 
ness, 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 neighborhood 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 remarkably 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 practicable. In the 
spring of 1808, a Mr. Klein, living in North Seventh street, Philadel- 
phia, 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, 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, 
