BIRDS 
61 
light one anew at each hearing; but being 
mostly an imitator, he never approaches 
the serene beauty and sublimity of the 
Hermit-Thrush. The word that best ex¬ 
presses my feelings, on hearing the Mock¬ 
ing-Bird, is admiration, though the first 
emotion is one of surprise and incredulity. 
That so many and such various notes 
should proceed from one throat is a mar¬ 
vel, and we regard the performance with 
feelings akin to those we experience on 
witnessing the astounding feats of the ath¬ 
lete or gymnast,—and this, notwithstand¬ 
ing many of the notes imitated have all 
the freshness and sweetness of the orig¬ 
inal. The emotions excited by the songs 
of these Thrushes belong to a higher or¬ 
der, springing as they do from our deep¬ 
est sense of the beauty and harmony of 
the world. 
The Wood-Thrush is worthy of all, and 
more than all, the praises he has received; 
and considering the number of his ap¬ 
preciative listeners, it is not a little sur¬ 
prising that his relative and superior, 
the Hermit-Thrush, should have received 
so little notice. Both the great ornitho- 
