Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-08-21
NATURAL HISTORY,
The Mocking Bird.

cOnoenial to their nature tney are lheFe-
fore much more numerous in the southern
than the northern states The berries of
the red cedar, myrtle, holly, gum berries,
gall berries, and a proruson Of others, with
which the luxuriant swampy thickets of
those regions abound, furnish them with a
perpetual feast Winged insects, also,
which abound there even in winter, form
favorite part of their food.
The mocking bird builds his nest in diff
ferent places, according to the latitude in
which he resides. \ solitary thorn bush,
an almost impenetrable thicket, an orange
tree, cedar, or holly bush, are favorite spots.
Always ready to defend, but never over
anxious to conceal his nest, he very often
builds within small distance Of house
and not unfrequently in pear or apple
tree, rarely higher than six or seven feet
from the ground The nest is composed of
dry twigs, weeds, straw, wool, and tow, in
geniously put together, and lined with fine
ibrous roots. During the time when the
female is sitting, neither cat, dog, animal
or man, can approach the nest without be-
ing attacked But the whole vengeance OF
the bird is directed against his mortal enc
tile is discovered, the male darts upon it
with the rapidity of an arrow, dexterously
eluding its bite, and striking it violently
and necessarily against the head, where it
is very vulnerable. The snake soon be
comes sensible of his danger, and seeks to
escape; but the intrepid bird redoubles his
exertions, and as the snakes strength be-
gins to flag, he seizes and lifts it up from
the ground, beating it with his wings, and
when the business is completed, he returns
TO his nest, mounts the summit Of the bush,
and pours out a torrent Of song in token Of
victory.
The plumage of the mooking bird has
nothing gaudy or brilliant in it; but that
which SO strongly recommends him is his
full, strong, and musical voice, capable of
almost every modulation, from the mellow
tones of the wood thrush, to the savage
screams of the bald eagle. In his native
groves, mounted on the top of tall bush,
in the dawn of dewy morning, while the
woods are already vocal with multitude of
warbles, his admirable song rises pre-emi-
nent over every competitor. The ear can
listen to his music alone. Nor is the strain
altogether initiative His own native notes
are bold and full, and varied seemingly be-
yond all limits They consist of short ex-
pressions of two, three, or five and six syl-
lables, generally interspersed with imita-
tions, all of them uttered with great en-
phasis and rapidity; and continued for an
hour Rith undiminished ardor His ex-
panded wings and tail, gIistening with
white, and the buoyant gayety of his ac-
ton, arresting the eye, as his song almost
irresistibly does the ear Hesweeps round
with enthusiastic ecstacy-he mounts and
descends as his song swels or dies away
and as Mr.. Bartram has beautifully express
sed it, He bounds aloft with the celebrity
of an arrow, as if to recover or recall his
very soul, expired in the last elevated strain.
While thus exerting himself, bystander
would suppose that the whole feathered
tribe had assembled together ca trial for
skill-sO perfect are his limitations
The mocking bird loses little of the
power and energy of his song by confne-
ment. In his domesticated state, when he
commences his career Of song, it is impo8-
slble to stand by uninterested He whis-
ties for the dog, Caesar 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
bristling feathers, clucking to protect her
injured brood. The barking Of the dog,
the mewing of the cat, the creaking of the
passing wheelbarrow, follow with great
truth and rapidity. He repeats the tune
taught him by his master, though of con-
siderable length, fully and faithfully. He
runs over the quiverings of the canary, and
the clear whstlings Of the Virginia night
ingale, or red bird, with such superior exc
cution and effect, that the mortified song
sters feel their own inferiority, and become
silent, while he seems to triumph in their
defeat by redoubling his exertions.
This excessive fondness for variety, how
ever, in the opinion of some, Injuries his
song. His elevated limitations of the brown
thrush, are frequently interrupted by the
growing of cocks, and the warblings of the
blue bird, which he exquisitely manages,
are mingled with the screaming of swal-
lows, or the cackling Of hens amidst the
simple melody Of the robin, we are sudden
~ surprised by the reiterations of the whip
poorWlll; While the notes Of the kildeer.
blue Jay, martin, Baltimore, and twenty
others, succeed with such imposing reality,
that we look round for the originals, and
discover, With astonishment, that the sole
performer in this singular concert is the ad
mirable bird before US. Both in his native
and domesticated state, during the solemn
Stiffness of night, as soon as the moon rises
In silent majesty, he begins his delightful
solo, and serrenades us the livelong night
with full display of his vocal powers, ma
king the whole neighborhood ring with his
inimitable medley.