MOCKING BIRD. 
171 
might, in this place, make a comparative statement between 
the powers of the Mocking Bird, and the only bird, I believe, 
in the world, worthy of being compared with him, — the 
European Nightingale. This, however, I am unable to do 
from my own observation, having never myself heard the song 
of the latter ; and, even if I had, perhaps something might be 
laid to the score of partiality, which, as a faithful biographer, 
I am anxious to avoid. I shall, therefore, present the reader 
with the opinion of a distinguished English naturalist, and 
curious observer, on this subject, the Honourable Daines 
Barrington, who, at the time he made the communication, 
was vice-president of the Royal Society, to which it was 
addressed. # 
44 It may not be improper here,” says this gentleman, 44 to 
consider whether the Nightingale may not have a very for- 
midable competitor in the American Mocking Bird, though 
almost all travellers agree, that the concert in the European 
woods is superior to that of the other parts of the globe.” 44 I 
have happened, however, to hear the American Mocking 
Bird, in great perfection, at Messrs Vogels and Scotts, in 
Love Lane, Eastcheap. This bird is believed to be still 
living, and hath been in England these six years. During 
the space of a minute, he imitated the Woodlark, Chaffinch, 
Blackbird, Thrush, and Sparrow ; I was told also that he 
would bark like a dog; so that the bird seems to have no 
choice in his imitations, though his pipe comes nearest to 
our Nightingale of any bird I have yet met with. With regard 
to the original notes, however, of this bird, we are still at a 
loss, as this can only be known by those who are accurately 
acquainted with the song of the other American birds. Kalm 
indeed informs us, that the natural song is excellent ;f but 
this traveller seems not to have been long enough in America 
to have distinguished what were the genuine notes : with us, 
mimics do not often succeed but in imitations. I have little 
* Philosophical Transactions , vol. lxii. part ii. p. 284. 
f Travels , vol. i. p. 219. 
