62 
THE MOCKING BIRD. 
into the close thicket, at the well-feigned scream of the ! 
hawk. 
Soon reconciled to the usurping fancy of man, the mocking 
bird often becomes familiar with his master; playfully attacks 
him through the bars of his cage, or at large in a room; rest¬ 
less and capricious, he seems to try every expedient of a lively 
imagination, that may conduce to his amusement. Nothing 
escapes his discerning and intelligent eye nor faithful ear. He 
whistles, perhaps, for the dog, who, deceived, runs to meet his 
master; the cries of the chicken in distress bring out the 
clucking mother to the protection of her brood. The barking 
of the dog, the piteous wailing of the puppy, the mewing of the 
cat, the action of a saw, or the creaking of a wheelbarrow 
quickly follow with exactness. He repeats a tune of consider¬ 
able length; imitates the warbling of the Canar}^, the lisping of 
the indigo bird, and the mellow whistle of the cardinal, in a 
manner so superior to the originals, that, mortitled and 
astonished, they withdraw from his presence, or listen in 
silence, as he continues in triumph. 
In the cage, also, nearly as in the woods, he is full of life and 
action, while engaged in song; throwing himself round with 
inspiring animation, and, as it were, moving in time to the 
melody of his own accents. Even the hours of night, which 
consign nearly all other birds to silence and rest, like the 
nightingale, he oft employs in song, serenading the houseless 
hunter and silent cottager to repose, as the rising moon 
illumines the darkness of the shadowy scene. His capricious 
fondness for contrast and perpetual variety appears to dete¬ 
riorate his powers. His lofty imitations of the musical brown 
; thrush are perhaps interrupted by the crowing of the cock, or 
the barking of the dog; the plaintive warblings of the blue 
bird are then blended with the wild scream and chatter of the 
swallow, or the cackling of the hen; amid the simple lay of 
the native robin, we are surprised with the vociferations of the 
whip-poor-will; while the notes of the garrulous jay, idldeer, 
woodpecker, Baltimore wren, and many others succeed, with 
^ such an appearance of reality, that we imagine ourselves ^ 
- — - —--—•———- mi 
