Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-10-24
THE HOOKING BIRD.
He Is tho Most Versatile of All the
Woodland Choir.

woodland Choir.
Early explorers of America carried
back with them 10 Europe stories OF q
bird which sang more sweetly than the
nightingale.
1t was the southern mocker heard in
the clcarngs and along the green banks
of the water courses which chained tho
attention OF the music loving Spaniard.
The mOcking bird sings as swechy to.
day MS it sang when DC Soto. journey.
ing westward. listened all the way to
It's music
Ever since the day when It's notes
were first heard hy the ears OF the pio.
ncers tho human singers have been
trying To catch The inspiration OF the
mocker's song and 10 do II Justice in
poetry. The human singers never fully
have succeeded. The mockcr Is the
most versatile uf all the woodland
choir. He can. If lie will. touch harsh
ness. ms he touches harmony. and Mt
times the admiration of the listener Is
more for the birds variety than for it's
melody.
No mOcking bird IN all tho range OF
It's performance eyer equalcd in pura
music the hymnike notes of the hermit
thrush. hut yet the mOcker is by far
the greater. if not the more appealing.
singer. When The bird confines itself
I" the notes which are its own by birth
right Its native notes. rs II wpre-there
is trace of nothing save an exalting
measure. The bird. however, Is a born
borrower. aud 10 that with which ma
ture has endowed II there are constant.
~ being added the belongings of others.
II Is interesting to read the accounts
or the hooking birds songs as set
down by the early Ornlthologisis. Au-
dubon. Wilson and Nuttail listened TO
the mocker md We're In turn moytS 10
sing. even though they did their sing
ing In prose. Some OF the fathers of
bird science in America nearly exhaust
cd the supply of adjectives in the Eng
fish language In their endeavOr to give
their readers adequate description of
the song OF the hooking bird pne solo
heard amid the surroundings of
southern spring drives from the mem.
Dry all thoughts or human praise of the
birds voice and the song itself re-
mains to lake their place.
There Is II luXurlance In the singing
OF the mocker. and the proper setting
for the song IL the warmth and luxuri-
ance OF the south. The bird, however.
does not entirely neglect the music low
rrS of The north. II sings and nests
occasionally ny far north as Illinois
ana rhusetts. and In the NORTH
ward passage it loses nothing of sweet
hess from its song
Some years ago the Audubon socte-
Ties "f the northern states began to re-
ceive letters from the women of the
southland telling Of the gradual disap.
pearnnce of the mOcker from localities
where once Its song had been heard
from every tree mud thcket The let
tcrs told OF the rOhhinE OF the nests
or the birds I'm order that the young
might he sold In the great northern
cities.
The Audubon societies took up the
plea Of the southern women that thu
'raffic In the Knockers might he stopped.
ana they succeeded In large measure
IN putting an end tn the sale Of tho
songsters in the northern markets. The
J songs of mocking bird Gagged and of
u hooking bird at liberty are ns differ
ent MS are the spirits OF slavery and Of
| freedom.
IL would he task Of days to give
adequate Information OF all that has
| heen written concerning tho song NJ
| The southern knocking bird Paul Ham
| lion Hayne lived with The bird. and
lie caught The ecstasy OF It's song. vii.
liam Henry Timrod. like Hayne, a
southern singer. also caught The In
| SEPARATION " The birds note The south
rrn rnets. as would seem both natural
ana right. have caught best the fine
frenzy OF This singer OF The southern
forcsts.-Ch!cag Post.