166 
MOCKING BIRD. 
small distance of the house ; and not unfrequently in a pear 
or apple tree ; rarely at a greater height than six or seven feet 
from the ground. The nest varies a little with different indi- 
viduals, according to the conveniency of collecting suitable 
materials. A very complete one is now lying before me, and 
is composed of the following substances : First, a quantity of 
dry twigs and sticks, then withered tops of weeds, of the 
preceding year, intermixed with fine straws, hay, pieces of 
wool and tow ; and, lastly, a thick layer of fine fibrous roots, 
of a light brown colour, lines the whole. The eggs, one of 
which is represented at fig. 2, are four, sometimes five, of a 
cinereous blue, marked with large blotches of brown. The 
female sits fourteen days ; and generally produces two broods 
in the season, unless robbed of her eggs, in which case she 
will even build and lay the third time. She is, however, 
extremely jealous of her nest, and very apt to forsake it if 
much disturbed. It is even asserted by some of our bird 
dealers, that the old ones will actually destroy the eggs, and 
poison the young, if either the one or the other have been 
handled. But I cannot give credit to this unnatural report. I 
I know, from my own experience, at least, that it is not always 
their practice ; neither have I ever witnessed a case of the 
kind above mentioned. During the period of incubation, 1 
neither cat, dog, animal, nor man, can approach the nest | 
without being attacked. The cats, in particular, are perse- 
cuted whenever they make their appearance, till obliged to 
retreat. But his whole vengeance is most particularly directed 
against that mortal enemy of his eggs and young, the black 
snake. Whenever the insidious approaches of this reptile j 
are discovered, the male darts upon it with the rapidity of an 
arrow, dexterously eluding its bite, and striking it violently 
and incessantly about the head, where it is very vulnerable. 
The snake soon becomes sensible of its danger, and seeks to 
escape ; but the intrepid defender of his young redoubles his 
exertions, and, unless his antagonist be of great magnitude, 
often succeeds in destroying him. All its. pretended powers j 
