90 
TURDUS POLYGLOTTUS. 
fine straws, hay, pieces of wool and tow ; and, lastly* 
a thick layer of fine fibrous roots, of a light hro"'** 
colour, lines the whole. The eggs are four, sometim*^ 
five, of a cinereous blue, marked with large blotches J'* 
brown. The female sits fourteen days ; and generally 
produces two brood in the season, unless robbed of 1'*"^ 
eg^, in which case she will even build and lay tl*® 
third time. She is, however, e.xtremely jealous of 1'^^ 
nest, and very apt to forsake it if much disturbed. 1’ 
is even asserted by some of our bird dealers, that tl'* 
old ones will actually destroy the eggs, and poison th** 
young, if either the one or the other have been handh’^ 
But I cannot give credit to this unnatural report. ; 
know, from iny own experience, at least, that it is 1 “’* 
always their practice ; neither have I ever witnessed ? 
case of the kind above mentioned. During the peri®*^ 
of incubation, neither cat, dog, animal, or man, 
approach the nest without being attacked. The calf’ 
in particular, are persecuted whenever they make tbe'^ 
appearance, till obliged to retreat. But his whol'’ 
vengeance is most particularly directed against tW* 
mortal enemy of his eggs and young, the black snak‘d' 
Whenever the insidious approaches of this reptile at^. 
discovered, the male darts upon it with the rapidity 
an arrow, dexterously eluding its bite, and striking 1* 
violently and incessantly about the head, where it 
The snake soon becomes sensible f 
ii 
very vulnerable. 
its danger, and seeks to es(!ape ; hut the intrep' 
defender of his young redoubles his exertions, ai'®' 
unless his antagonist be of great magnitude, 
succeeds in destroying him. All its pi'etended pou'etj 
of fascination avail it nothing against the vengeance 
this noble bird. As the snake’s strength begins to 
the mocking bird seizes and lifts it up, partly, from 
ground, beating it with his wings; and, when 1'*^. 
business is completed, he returns to the repository 
his young, mounts the summit of the bush, and 
out a torrent of song in token of victory. . 1 , 
As it is of some consequence to he able to distingu** 
a young male bird from a female, the following maf'’’ 
