MOCKING BIRD. 
93 
“Hi 
® bounds aloft with the celerity of an arrow, as if 
gU^^^ver or recall his very soul, expired in the last 
strain.”* While thus exertin»' himself, a 
"di 1 destitute of siffht would suppose that the 
tpjj.*® feathered tribes had assenihled together, on a 
^jjv ^ skill; each striving to produce his utmost 
. > so perfect are his imitations, lie many times 
l)i , |''®s the sportsman, and sends him in si'arch of 
that perhaps are not within miles of him ; but 
1'® exactly imitates : even birds themselves 
; hoeutly im|)osed on by this admiral mimic, and 
()i^^ b®ooyed by the famaed calls of their mates; or 
the ’ ""*th precijiitatiou, into the depth of thickets, at 
j^®‘‘eam of what they suppose to be the sparrow 
of ?J*® roocking bird loses little of the ponder and energy 
'vli *** l*y conlincmeiit. In his domesticated state, 
®o he commences his cai-eer of song, it is impossible 
(j ^'-^od by uninterested. He whistles for the dog ; 
Ct"' ' . . 
'*611 l ' sffueaks out like a hurt chicken, and the 
‘’^rries about ivith hanging wings, and bristled 
Ij 
of 
*tud 
'Oast*^ starts up, wags his tail, and runs to meet his 
>*611 ” 
'oatho 1 !,-'■» -- — 
lj^,,/®*’ 0 j clucking to protect its injured brood. The 
of . *'!? of the dog, the mewing of the cat, the creaking 
a passing wheelbarrow, follow, with g-rcat truth 
bia /‘^l*'‘'*ty- He repeats the tunc taught him by his 
fii'h . though of considerable length, fully and faith- 
He runs over the quiverings of the canary, and 
rjj .Hoar whistlings of the Virginia nightingale, or 
tlio **''‘'>,B ith such superior execution and effect , that 
Ijo,. Hortiftod songsters feel their own inferiority, and 
tile 
iu j^H® altogether silent ; ivhile he seems to triumph 
q,.®**' defeat by redoubling his exertions, 
opj. .'** osecssive fondness for variety, however, in the 
t'ous'^'f ®ome, injures his song, llis elevated imita- 
tho , the brown thrush arc frequently interrupted by 
Hrd '^y***" of cocks; and the warbliugs of the blue- 
> ti hich ho exquisitely mauage.s, are mingled with the 
* Travelsj p. 32. Introduction, 
