MOCKING BIRD. 
167 
of fascination avail it nothing against the vengeance of this 
noble bird. As the snake’s strength begins to flag, the 
Mocking Bird seizes and lifts it up, partly, from the ground, 
beating it with his wings ; and, when the business is com- 
pleted, 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 considerably 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 descend 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, thickened with Indian meal ; mixing occa- 
sionally 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, parti- 
cularly 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. 
