The Mockingbird 
49 
a most unfortunate discovery. Not only does 
he imitate the notes of birds about him, but he 
invents all manner of quips and vocal jugglery. 
His love song is entrancing. “ Oft in the 
stilly night, ” when the moonlight sheds a sil- 
very radiance about every sleeping creature, 
the mockingbird sings to his mate such delicious 
music as only the European nightingale can 
rival. Perhaps the* stillness of the hour, the 
beauty and fragrance of the place where the 
singer is hidden among the orange blossoms or 
magnolia, increase the magic of his almost 
pathetically sweet voice ; but surely there is no 
lovelier sound in nature on this side of the sea. 
Our poet Lanier declared that this “ heavenly 
bird ” will be hailed as “ Brother” by Beethoven 
and Keats when he enters the choir invisible 
in the spirit world. 
Ever alert, on the qui vive, the mockingbird 
can no more suppress the music within him, 
night or day, than he can keep his nervous, 
high-strung body at rest. From his restlessness 
alone you might know he is the cousin of the 
catbird and brown thrasher and is closely re- 
lated to the wrens. Flitting from perch to 
perch (fluttering is one of his chief amusements 
even in a cage) , taking short flights from tree to 
tree, and so displaying the white signals on his 
wings and tail, hopping lightly, swiftly, grace- 
fully over the ground, bounding into the air. 
