MOCKING BIRD. 
189 
guardians of their brood. Their most insidious and deadly 
enemies, however, are reptiles, particularly the black snake, 
who spares neither the eggs nor young. As soon as his fatal 
approach is discovered by the male, he darts upon him without 
hesitation, eludes his bite, and striking him about the head, 
and particularly the eyes, where most vulnerable, he soon suc- 
ceeds in causing him to retreat, and by redoubling his blows, 
in spite of all pretended fascination, the wily monster often 
falls a victim to his temerity ; and the heroic bird, leaving his 
enemy dead on the field he provoked, mounts on the bush 
above his affectionate mate and brood, and in token of victory 
celebrates with his loudest song. 
The Mocking Bird, like the Nightingale, is destitute of bril- 
liant plumage ; but his form is beautiful, delicate, and symmet- 
rical in its proportions. His motions are easy, rapid, and 
graceful, perpetually animated with a playful caprice and a 
look that appears full of shrewdness and intelligence. He 
listens with silent attention to each passing sound, treasures up 
lessons from everything vocal, and is capable of imitating with 
exactness, both in measure and accent, the notes of all the 
feathered race. And however wild and discordant the tones 
and calls may be, he contrives, with an Orphean talent pecu- 
liarly his own, to infuse into them that sweetness of expression 
and harmonious modulation which characterize this inimi- 
table and wonderful composer. With the dawn of morning, 
while yet the sun lingers below the blushing horizon, our sub- 
lime songster, in his native wilds, mounted on the topmost 
branch of a tall bush or tree in the forest, pours out his admi- 
rable song, which, amidst the multitude of notes from all the 
warbling host, still rises pre-eminent, so that his solo is heard 
alone, and all the rest of the musical choir appear employed in 
mere accompaniments to this grand actor in the sublime opera 
of Nature. Nor is his talent confined to imitation ; his native 
notes are also bold, full, and perpetually varied, consisting of 
short expressions of a few variable syllables, interspersed with 
imitations and uttered with great emphasis and volubility, 
sometimes for half an hour at a time, with undiminished ardor. 
These native strains bear a considerable resemblance to those 
