MOCKING BIRD. 
89 
States, here he appeared almost half domesticated, 
feeding on the cedars and among the thickets of 
smilax that lined the roads, while I passed within a 
few feet ; playing around the planter's door, and hopping 
along the shingles. During the month of February, I 
sometimes heard a solitary one singing; but on the 
2d of March, in the neighbourhood of Savannah, 
numbers of them were heard on every hand, vying in 
song with each other, and with the brown thrush, 
making the whole woods vocal with their melody. 
Spring was at that time considerably advanced ; and 
the thermometer ranging between 70 and 78 degrees. 
On arriving at New York, on the 22d of the same 
month, I found many parts of the country still covered 
with snow, and the streets piled with ice to the height 
of two feet ; while neither the brown thrush, nor 
mocking bird were observed, even in the lower parts of 
Pennsylvania, until the 20th of April. 
The precise time at which the mocking bird begins 
to build his nest, varies according to the latitude in 
which he resides. In the lower parts of Georgia, he 
commences building early in April ; but in Pennsyl- 
vania, rarely before the 10th of May; and in New 
York, and the States of New England, still later. 
There are particular situations to which he gives the 
preference. A solitary thorn bush ; an almost impene- 
trable thicket ; an orange tree, cedar, or holly bush, 
are favourite spots, and frequently selected. It is no 
great objection with him that these happen, sometimes, 
to be near the farm, or mansion-house : always ready 
to defend, but never over anxious to conceal, his nest, 
he very often builds within a 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 
individuals, 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 
