MOCKING-BIRD. 
97 
flag the Mocking-bird seizes and lifts it up, partly from the 
ground, beating it with his wings, and when the business is 
completed, he returns to the repository of his young, mounts 
the summit of the bush, and pours out a torrent of song in token 
of victory. 
As it is of some consequence to be able to distinguish a young 
male bird from a female, the following marks may be attended 
to; by which some pretend to be able to distinguish them in less 
than a week after they are hatched. These are, the breadth 
and purity of the white on the wings, for that on the tail is not 
so much to be depended on. This white, in a full grown male- 
bird, spreads over the whole nine primaries, down to, and con- 
siderably below, their coverts, which are also white, sometimes 
slightly tipt with brown. The white of the primaries also extends 
equally far on both vanes of the feathers. In the female the white 
is less pure, spreads over only seven or eight of the primaries, 
does not extend so far, and extends considerably farther down 
on the broad than on the narrow side of the feathers. The black 
is also more of a brownish cast. 
The young birds, if intended for the cage, ought not to be left 
till they are nearly ready to fly; but should be taken rather young 
than otherwise; and may be fed, every half hour, with milk thick- 
ened with Indian meal; mixing occasionally with it a little fresh 
meat, cut or minced very fine. After they begin to eat of their 
own accord, they ought still to be fed by hand, though at longer 
intervals, and a few cherries, strawberries, &c., now and then 
thrown in to them. The same sort of food, adding grasshoppers 
and fruit, particularly the various kinds of berries in which they 
delight; and plenty of clear fine gravel, is found very proper 
for them after they are grown up. Should the bird at any time 
appear sick or dejected, a few spiders thrown in to him will 
generally remove these symptoms of disease. 
If the young bird is designed to be taught by an old one, the 
best singer should be selected for this office, and no other allowed 
to be beside him. Or if by the bird organ, or mouth-whistling, 
it should be begun early, and continued, pretty constantly, ? 
VOL. II. — N 
