The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-06-30
THE MOCkINH BIRD OF ANEr,,.

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THE MO'kiNs: BIRD OF ANC,,, !.
The American mock;ne-hirl is The rr,c
OF all >ong-br'l>, hciu. ato,r,hrr unriv,,Io,
IN the extent and variety othis vocal hover.
and besides, the tuine.> and m.IoIv NJ, bis y
Tlginal notes, he Ia, the faculty Of iu,itatin.
The notes OF al! other birds, from the hum
nlIng-blrd to Tie caal.. Pcl.ua;t ,.a,.s III,
iIc heard a ra"rd one initiate tli, ;ncwirr q
eat. AMI the crrahing Of SIN in hiol wi,I,
harrington says. his pipes come nearest +,
The nightingale Of any bird he evrr hr,rI
lh" description, however Gwen bv Wilson.
IN liI> own lnImItallc manner. As far cxc.l.
Remnant and harrington 4, the bird excel,
his irilow-song>tcr>. Wilson tells Us that the
ease, cicea1cc. and rari,Iiy Of hi, movements
ihc ANIMATION OF his eve. and thc intelligence.
he displays in li>ten;n. to aud lavinr M les.
sons, mark The lrculir;tv OF acuirI>. Hi
voice Is tu!I. strong. and musical, and capable
of almost every moIulation. from the clear
and mellow tones OF ,I.r wooithru,i 10 the
savage scream Of the t.a'! ca.,c. H. mca<,r.
and accents i" iti,h;uliv follows hi, or;riuaI~
while III strength and sweetness Of eynr,>>;o,i
hc greatly IMPROVES r.,ou tI,rna IA his ma.
tive woods upon 4 t!cwv morning. hi, ,on.r
rises above every competitor; for the others
appear merely as inferior accolnranimcnt,
ii's own notes are bold and full. and varied
seemingly heyond al! limits They con>i>,
OF short expressions of two three or at mos.
'vc q" e;v -,IlaLlr> r..r"r.I,. ,.........l ~
great eu,pha-, and larili;v. and continuc,.
with unlimin>hc,. .r,,or for hat an hour or
for an hour Il: a time. While singing he ,x-
rands hi, tail, gli>tcnin- with white. kecpiur
time to his own muse: and the buoyant cai-
Ctv ofhi> acton i no less sciuainr than his
song. He sweeps rom! with enthusiastic cc>-
tasv: he mounts and dc>cenls, a. hi> son-
swel!s or dies away; he bounds aiot with the /
celebrity fan arrow. as II 20 recover or recall
his very soul, expired III the lat elevated
strain. \ hv>tander mi .ht suppose that the
whole fcathcrtd tribe had assembled to"cthcr
on trial of skiil-cach striving to produce
the utmost ctiort-so perfect ave lis imI,ationS
lie often dcrc,cs the sportsman. aAl even
birds Themselves are sometimes imposed Upon
nv this admirable mimic. III confinement.
II" Iooscs little oi Tie power or energy Of hi>
song. lie whistles for the inu CI,>ar stars
Up, w!rS his tail. and runs 10 meet his master.
lie cries Ike a hurt rhickcn and the hen
hurrirs about with feathers on end. to protect
her injured brood. He repeats tie tune
,aurht him.thou-h II hcJt considerable length,
with perfect accuracy. He runs over the
'otes of the canary and the red bird with
such superior execution and clic ct. that Ne
certified soug>tcrS confess his triumph h1
their immediate silence. IL, o:aInc.s lor
variety, some suppose Injuries his song. lis
imitation OF The brown thrush is often inter
,upted by the Growing Of cocks: and hi, cx-
:usitc wayf,iu-> after the l.uc L,r! are nm
gled with tEe scrcanlin. OF swallows OF the
turkeys Or the cacking of hens Duriu"
moonlight boil, in the wild and tame state :
he >ing> the whole ni.ht lon, The hunters
IN their nocturnal excursions. know that the
moon is rising. the instant they hear his de-