The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-06-03
THE oRPHEUs OF THE WOODS.
The Southern Mocking Bird---His Haunt
Song and Wanton Destruction.

. THE ORPHEUS OF THE WOODS.
The Southern Mocling Bird---His Haunts,
Song and Wanton Destruction.
(FFom tie Macon (Ga.) Zctcgraph.)
Up to emancipation times, or rather
the close of the war, mocking birds
were plentiful everywhere in Georgia.
During the years that followed freedom
armed Il race to whom guns had been
forbidden. The negro became an
enthusiastic hunter, but he was up-
skilled and could crafty his craze for
destroying only upon birds that were
nearest at hand. Mocking birds, car
dinaIs, jorcelS, catbirds and thrushes
went down as easy conquests before a
class that had never been taught better
and had neither sentiment nor con
science. The negro hunters of to- day -,
with possibly a few exceptions, are
not wing shots, and they fill their bags
With birds that can be killed in the
trees. 1t goes without saving that
these are the birds that should be
spared to the fields and to society.
MY observation has been that few,
very few, negroes will pass, gun in
hand, anything that has feathers and
is large enough to cook; and this is
borne out by the fact that the bluciav,
the woodpecker and the catbird arc
disappearing from the fields and woods
almost as fast as the mocking bird
proper.
The destruction Of the mocking bird
has been more rapid because his nest
has been Systematically robbed by
parties of both colors for private gain
or qualification. a yea or two since
we noted one shipment Of these birds
from Savannah which contained GOO
or 700. Upon the streets of this and
all other cities they are openly sold
every summer.
When it is remembered that every
bug or worm thus cut off may reprc.
sent thousands, the value Of the birds
services can be understood. True, he
takes figs and berries, but he oarns
them.
Most Southern people arc familiar
with the habits of these birds. but if
will be news to many to be told, as i'm
the "EncyclopHdia Britannica" that
they go TO New England in the summer
to breed and return in the fall. Audu-
bon's statement was that some of them
Ego North," ond this term applied to
the migration of birds means with him
northward. In Maryland and Vir.
ginia the bird can be found in summer.
but he comes southwark in the autumn
l am inclined 70 think that some pass
us and go to Florida in very cold
weather. | have seen them late in the
autumn flying southwark high in the
AIR and northward early in the spring.
Audubon says that the stay-at-homc
birds M G,rht
tory fellows upon their return.
Mocking birds can be taught almost
anything in tho way of tunes. Macon
used TO boast of bird that whstlcd
"DiXic," and years ago Il Frcnchman
travelled about the country playing airs
upon his piano which his bird would
follow accurately. At the Pulaski
House in Savannah, u negro used to
Keep bird that would whistle a good
alto to tunes his master whistlcd.
One OF the most popular errors con-
corning the mocking bird is the belief
that he has no song Of his own; that
he adopts and blends only the notes Of
other birds into song. This is purely
nonsense. The young mocking birds
reared IL the garrcts Of great cities.
and beyond the reach Of the songs of
others, sing as do the natives in their
freedom, though not as strongly, since
they lack the inspiration of mates, the
mellow sunlight and liberty. Their
song Is, in fact, a number Of songs. but
entirely original. No man ever heard
the divisions of tho mocking birds
song in any forest. That he inter
sperses them with cat call, the hawks
sCrGcch, tile WhirV Of the bull bat and
the chickens melancholy "peep" and
notes from other birds is true, but
these are only characters in his rccita-
tive ballad FEATURES in The romance ofhis
summers. That he sings his parts
backward and forward and combines |
hem anew is also true. The m0ckinv |
birds song is to the car what the |
is to the eve. and the |
of his songs are rs
endless as the glass forms in the tov:
but the song notes are the same.
This bird is probably the most con-
linuouS slnS*r i'll the world, but there
are two weeks out Of iiny-two when
nothing can tempt him to sing. and
hat is when he is moIting. at thar
lme he may b, found m0pinu i'm q
secluded spot, los. in ravlcss melan.
;holy. lie looks then hot and sick and
ne only note he uttcrS is low, short {
not unlike that which the fat
makes as he removes his hat and mons
ms ms prov. Perhaps during this season s
o one olEG lays aside mockcry, repents 1
anu makes good resolutions.
.Seofgla has no law TO protect her ,
na,C,,; Waiu singers, whose songs delight and !
aston'h the world. Some of omr
Sou.neIn Sr.neIn cltles have laws to protect ,
Tho Tn~nt"S nnaSo ana @ e9iorce them rigidly.
rue, nne negro, zero, VINO by pulling trigger
world than human lips can sonn1 ran,, ,no
do it with impunity, but it cost, NAY h;r,
90 to hit buzzard with clod of 5;rt
ru, A., g. ,,,- -