The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-08-19
THE MOCKING- BIRD.
Intense Devotion of the Mother to Her
Young.
She VIII Poison Them Rather Than
See Them Live in Cap
tivity.

The actions Of birds sometimes show
higher order of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
higher than that exhibited by any other
member of the animal kingdom.
This is oftenest displayed in the mater
nal relations. The mother bird in certain
species manifests remarkable unselfsh-
ness, foresight, strategy and general long
headedness in the protection of her chill
dren. An instance came under my own
eyes during a winter spent in the South.
1t was the case of mocking-bird and
her children. The hooking bird belongs
to the thrush genus, and is found only
south of Mason and Dixon's line. North
we only know it as cage bird kept for
its exquisite song. But when l was
South, let me tell you, found out that
its song in captivity has no such beauty
as when heard among the tall poplars and
shrubbery of the South. Often at mid
night in the splendor of the moonlight
mocking-bird would perch in the mag
nolias and sing madrigals so entrancingly
sweet that l would stay awake hours.
So delicious is its night song that it is
known in the West Indies as the might
ingale."
The initiative powers which give rise
to it's classified name of Minus are con-
fined to the male bird, and are only heard
in the daytime. l have heard one give in
quick succession the notes of a dozen
other birds, the chirping of insects, the
mourntul refrain of bull-frog and the
whistle of an engine, But at night you
only hear flowing trills, and the purest,
most liquid, most exquisite of songs.
When it came time for me to return
North | became possessed with desire
to carry back with me a pair of young
IL IS,.lz L., 4l,o,.<
in a low syringa bush on the lawn quite
near the house, and a recent peep into
their leafy retreat had revealed several
young feathered heads in the nest.
1 did not quite dare to reach in and lift
any of them out myself with my own
hand. The mother bird had suddenly
drawn near, and l thought she looked
fierce and angry, and she skipped about.
She was brOwnish gray little madame,
her bosom feathers slightly speckled, her
wings nearly black, displaying white
feathers as she lifted them uneasily, every
now and then giving utterance to pierre
ing cluck, as though she were urging her
untiedged nestlings to make their escape.
The father bird did not appear on the
scene. He feeds the mother faithfully
while she is sitting on the eggs, and pro-
tects her from providers and sings to her
very sweetly, but the moment the birds
are Matched he is otf-a free lance and
rover.
SO sought out a venturesome boy who
was known to me as great BIRDS
hester and possessed a fine collection of
eggs. He was perfectly willing to brave
the mother bird and procure ME two
singing specimens.
II attempted the enterprise, but he en-
countered such risk of having his eyes
pecked out that he had to call for assist
ance on the gardener, an elderly negro
named Mayo. Mayo promptly remon-
strated against the theft of the birds for
the purpose of captivity.
II tell you, Miss Lucy" he said to me,
it's agin natur' toe be putin bird in
ky-age. De Lawd, he nevah intended
faw no birds whatevah toe be shet up in
ky-ages-ips a fac honey; it's a sho'
Enough sin toe be a-doin' of iti''
l assured him the young birds should,
in my northern home, be permitted the
free range of large conservatory, but
the idea of slavery, captivity, in any
form, was the point with the old negro,
who had himself been a slave Against
bondage, for man or beast, he continued
to preach with tears in his eyes. More
over, every negro servant about the
plantation came to me and begged me
not TO attempt the caging of the free
born birds.
you CAN'T never raise 'em, honey"
said the old nanny, shaking her head at
me. Its been tried lots o'times befo',
mother bird won't nevah let you keep
'em alive-in a ky-age! Lawd mop
why, what would the mother bird
do, mammy?'' asked.
She drew near to me and whispered
mysteriously; "Bless you. she'd pi-zon
'em, honey!"
Poison them!" / echoed.
"pse done seed dat happen mon onc't,
chileu' the old negro answered. "When
she disklvahs dat all hope of savin' heb
chillen is lost dat mothah des hunts
aroun' an finds pi-zon spidah-one of
dem big, fat, black, juicy kind dat grow
in de Scappahnong vines, an she totes
it. alive, right eentOe de ky-age, tellin'
heb babies toe eat it, and dey does! No.
Miss Lucy, honey. de on-lies' thing to do
in raisin' young mockin' birds from de
nest, is to shoot de mothah! Amt that
so, Bro. Mayor"
Yes, it am" was Mayors prompt cor
roboration. pooh-poohed the idea and
resolved to have pair of birds; also that
l would observe the mothers actions
myself In reality placed no faith in
their account.
Accordingly, by judicious use of
money the small boy was able to procure
the assistance of Mayo. He himself was
detailed for war with the mother bird.
while the negro captured the nestlings.
This was an exciting adventure, be-
cause while the small birds were having
their wing feathers counted the mother
behaved like crazy creature.
Mayo assured us that the singers or
males, are only to be distinguished by
nine white feathers in the wings, while
the females only have eight-so alto
gether similar otherwise is their appear
ance.
Finally, two were safely purloined and
declared to be future tenors of excellent
quality. Despite the parents frantic
protestations these were transferred at
the house.
What hideous young creatures my
"singers" Were! They seemed ali head
ewes and mouth. The mouths appeared
to be lined with bright yellow velvet. and
were spread constantly open in a sort of
bird gasp, as though trying to squawk
without success. Their tails were still
undeveloped, and they presented a very
bobby, top-heayy appearance when on
their feet.
fed them with hard boiled eggs,
mashed fine bits of lettuce leaf and oc-
casionally angle worms, and it was
necessary to poke all this food down their
yellow throats; they seemed utterly help
less.
I soon discovered that the statements of
the negroes concerning the persistent fol-
lowing OF the mother bird were true.
There was no part of the house or
grounds where l could hang that cage
and eyade her haunting presence. She
followed them and the noise OF her I'M
interrupted declamatOry chipping filled
the place. Her mate appeared, too, one
day, with her. and conveyed parental in
structions in q short, terse song.
The mother coaXed, begged, implored
them in almost human tones; l had no