Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-03-03

The Mocking-Bird.

lhe intelligence which the American mOcklng-
bird displays in listening to- and laying up lessons
from almost every species of the feathered creation
within his hearing, is really surprising, and marks
the peculiarly of his genius. He possesses voice
full, strong, and musical, and capable of almost
every modulation, from the clear mellow notes of
the wood-thrush to the savage scream Of the bald
headed eagle. In the measure and accent, he
faithfully follows his original In force and sweet
ness OF expression, he greatly improves upon them
In his native groves, mounted on the top Of tall
bush or halfgrown tree, in the dawn Of dewy
morning, while the woods are already vocal with q
multitude Of warblers his admirable song rises pre-
| eminent over every competitor. Neither is the
strain altogether initiative. His own native notes,
which are easily distinguishable, bold and full,
and varied seemingly beyond all limits They
consist of short expressions Of two three or at most
five or six syllables, generally interpersed with
limitations, and all of them uttered with great en-
phass and rapidity and continued with undimin-
ished ardour. The buoyant gayety Of his action
arresng the eye, as his song most rresistably does
the ear, he sweeps around with an enthusiastic
ecstacy; he mounts and descends as his song
swells or dies away, and it has been beautifully
expressed, "he bounds aloft with the celerity OF
an arrow as if to recover or recall his very soul,
expired in the last elevated strain" While exert
ing himself, bystander destitute of sight, would
suppose that the whole feathered tribe had assemb
led together on trial Of skill, each striving to
produce his utmost effect SO perfect are his imita-
tons He many times deceives the sportsman,
and sends him in search of birds that perhaps are
not within miles of him. but whose notes he exactly
initiates; even birds themselves are frequently i'm
posed on by this admirable mimic, and are decoyed
by the ancied calls Of their mate, or dive with pre-
cipitation into the depth of the thickets, at the
scream Of what they suppose to be the sparrow
hack
The mockingbird loses little Of the power and
energy Of his song by confinement In his domes-
ticated state, when he commences his career of
song, it is impossible to stand by uninterested. He
whistles for the dog Cesar starts up wags his tail
and runs to meet his master. He squeaks out like
hurt chicken, and the hen hurries about with
HANGING wings and bristled feathers, clncking to
protect her injured brood. The barking of the
dog, the mewng' of the cat the creaking Of passing
wheebarrow, follow with great truth and rapidity.
He repeats the tune taught him by his master,
though Of considerable length, fully and faithfully.
He runs over the quiverings Of the Canary and the
clear whistlings Of the Virginia nightingale, or
redbird, with such superior execution and effect,
that the mortified songsters feel their inferior
ity, and become altogether silent, while he seems
to triumph in their defeat by redoublng his exer-
tons. e
This excessive fondness for variety, however, in
the opinion Of some Injuries his song. His elevated
limitations of the brown-thrush are frequently in
terrupted by the Growing Of cocks and the warb-
lings Of the bluebird, which he exquisitely man
ages, are mingled with the screaming of swallows
or the cackling of hens; amid the simple melody
Of the robin we are suddenly surprised by the shri
reiterations Of the poor-wiIl while the notes
Of the kldeer, bluejay, martini and twenty others,
succeed with such imposing reality, that we look
around for the originals and discover, with aston
ishment that the sole performer in this singar
cert is the admirable bird now before US us. Du-
ring this exhibition of his powers, he spreads his
wings expands his tail, and throws himself around
the cage in all the ecstacy Of enthusiasm, seeming
not only to sing, but to dance, keeping time to the
measure Of his music Both in his native and do
mesticated state, during the solemn stiffness Of
night, as soon as the moon rises IN silent majesty,
he begins his delightful solo, and senades US the
ivelong night with 4 full display Of his vocal
powers, making the whole neighbourhood ring with
his inimitable medley. yl2Ts 54s 2s=
J. =. 4ssss :