284 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
they settle on limbs seldom less than forty feet from the 
ground, and the body of the bird being very heavy, the 
resistance to the air caused by the concave wings, creates 
a loud rustling noise, entirely unlike any other sound, 
that at the above distance, the traveller, or hunter, cannot 
be mistaken. This is the most propitious period to hunt 
them, and is generally observed as such by the hunters of 
the south, who, when the first bird flies into a tree, direct 
their footsteps as rapidly as is consistent with caution, and 
frequently succeed in killing several, before the remainder 
take alarm and escape. 21st, killed a large rattlesnake, 
which was just emerging from some bush-land on fire; it 
was four and a half feet long, and rather over two inches 
in diameter, and had but one rattle. I saw others which 
were not half of those dimensions with three rattles. 
Quere. Can the number of rattles determine the age, as is 
generally supposed? 
“ 22d, heard the singular notes, JeeJc, kek, kek, of the 
Ivory-billed Woodpecker; (Picus principalis,) endeavour- 
ed with much caution to shoot it, but it eluded my efforts 
after following through a swamp from tree to tree for a 
long distance; these birds are becoming very scarce in 
South Carolina and the northern part of Georgia: during 
Wilson’s excursions he found them in North Carolina, but 
I did not see one in that state, and in my frequent inqui- 
ries among the residents, found the bird was unknown. 
23d, the morning was beautiful; arose early and took my 
seat in the porch of the tavern; around this house was a 
great many live oak trees, which formed a handsome 
grove of evergreens. Among the branches of these and 
on the ground were quantities of the Cardinal Grosbeak; 
counted fourteen hopping about the ground within a few 
yards of the house; noticed the circumstance to the land- 
lady, who stated that she had fed and encouraged them 
for a long time on pounded groundnuts, and they had be- 
come so tame at times, that when her negroes fed them, 
they would crowd around like chickens; the gray, cat, 
and fox squirrels, are abundant here among the pines, 
but the ground squirrel is very rare; and the chickaree, 
which, in the north, is so fond of pine woods, is never 
seen on the seaboard of South Carolina and Georgia. Much 
to my gratification I saw a flock of Whooping Cranes, 
( Ardea Americana,) eleven in number, but at a very 
great height from the earth; they were directing their 
course north. Sometime before they passed over, I heard 
a most singular noise, but could not discern the source 
whence it proceeded, but, as the sound grew more dis- 
tinct, I had the curosity to alight, when I saw them 
approaching most majestically. The remarkably guttu- 
ral sounds pi’oduced by a company of these birds, strikes 
the ear in strange discord, and may be heard at an as- 
tonishing distance; they fly parallel with each other; but 
when in a body, not perfectly horizontal like the duck, 
or swan, or even others of the same tribe, as I could 
observe their movement to be undulatory, although in 
very long curvatures: this bird is very difficult to pro- 
cure, as it cannot be approached within gun-shot, and 
being the largest of the tribe, and, when feeding, always 
chooses those places, where, by its great height, it can 
see objects around it for a great distance, which of course 
precludes the possibility of approach. Saw the Blue-gray 
Fly Catcher, ( Muscicapa ccerulea,) and Prairie War- 
bler, ( Sylvia minuta;) the latter appeared without song; 
this evening reached Savannah.” 
(To be continued.) 
For the Cabinet ofNatural History. 
STANZAS TO THE MOCKING-BIRD. 
By Charles West Thomson. 
Beautiful charmer ! bird of many voices ! 
Most sweet magician of the choral throng ! 
How nature in her woodland haunts rejoices, 
When thou hast filled the summer wilds with song ! 
Well may the grove he envious of thy powers, 
When thou canst rival every warbler’s tone, 
Pouring the richest melody in showers, 
That prove the gifts of all the rest thine own. 
Not unto thee has bounteous nature given 
The bright cerulean plumage of the jay, 
Nor the swan’s vesture, like the snow from heaven, 
Nor the woodpecker’s fanciful array. 
The parrot’s coat is far more rich and glowing ; 
The red-bird much outshines thee on the wing; 
And when the peacock his gay train is showing, 
Thou seem’st a mean and unregarded thing. 
But what is all the dazzled eye discovers 
In the gay dresses that to these belong, 
To the more glorious charm that round thee hover. 
When thou hast lifted up thy voice in song 1 
Enchanter of the woods ! the richest treasures 
Of native melody in thee we find ; 
Each other songster trills his simple measures, 
But all the forest is in thee combined. 
