TURDUS POLYGLOTTUS. 
98 
sale. The usual price of a singing- bird is from sev®® 
to fifteen, and even tnenty dollars. I have kuo"'® 
fifty dollars paid for a remarkable fine singer; and on® 
instance where one hundred dollars were refused fo® ® 
still more extraordinary one. , ^ 
Attempts have been made to induce these charmi"5 
birds to pair, and rear their young in a state of confiu^ 
meut, and the result has been such as to prove it, 
proper management, perfectly practicable. In the spri®9 
of 1808, a Mr Klein, living in North Seventh Stre®® 
Philadelphia, partitioned off about twelve feet squ»t® 
in the third story of his house. This was lighted bV ® 
pretty large wire-grated window. In the centre of tl*® 
small room he planted a cedar husli, five or six 1®® 
high, in a box of earth, and scattered about a suffici®® 
quantity of materials suitable for buildiug. Into t®j 
place a male and female mocking bird were put, »®j- 
soon begaji to build. The female laid five eggs, all ® 
which she hatched, and fed the young with great an®f 
tion until they were nearly able to fly. Business c® ® 
iug the proprietor from home for two weeks, he left t® 
birds to the care of his domestics ; and, on his rctii''®j 
found, to his great regret, that they had been neglect® 
in food. The young ones were all dead, and the par®®.® 
themselves nearly famished. The same pair have agt®j 
commenced building this season, in the same place, ®® 
have at this time, July 4, 1809, three young, likelj' 
do well. The place might be fitted up with van®® 
kinds of shrubbery, so as to resemble their uat* j 
thickets ; and ought to be as remote from noise ®®^, 
interruption of company as possible, and strangers rat® ■ 
allowed to disturb, or even approach them. i 
The mocking bird is nine and a half inches long> ® ^ 
thirteen in breadth. Some individuals are, howe'iy 
larger, and some smidler, those of the first hatch b®^^ 
uniformly the biggest and stoutest.* The upper p- 
and I 
of these birds in various regions ol tlie United States, 1 am y 
that this variation of size is merely accidental, or owing t® 
circumstance above mentioned. 
