Description.
Place and
Manners.
*Turdus polyglottus, Lin. Syjl. i. p.293. N° io.
Legrand Moqueur, Brif. orn. ii. p. 266. N® 2g>—Buf oif. iii. p. 32$<-—
PI. enl. 558. f. 1.
Singing Bird, Mocking Bird, or Nightingale, Rail Syn. p. 64. N® 5. p. 185.
31.— Sloan. Jam. ii. 306. N° 34.
The Mock Bird, Catejb. Car. i. pi. ly .—Kalm. %"rav. i. p. 217. ii, p. go,
pi. 3.— Ar8. Zooi.
Br. MuJ. Lev. Muf.
^ | IZE of a Blackbird, but more (lender: length nine inches
and a half. Bill black : irides dirty yellow : the plumage of
an uniform grey, but much paieft on the under parts : tail four
inches long : legs grey.— The female is like the male.
This is common throughout America and Jamaica ; but changes
its place in the fummer, being feen much more to the northward
than in winter. It is frequent in moift woods. The eggs are
of a pearl-colour, fpotted with brown. ' It builds both in bufhes
and trees : often makes the neft near plantations, in the fruit-
trees * j but is as fhy as the Reifiart in England; for if any one
look at the eggs, the bird will forfake the neft. The young may
be brought up, but it is with great difficulty, not one time in
ten fucceeding. I f the young are taken in the neft, the mother
will feed them for a few days, but is fure to defert them afterwards.
The food chiefly conlifts o f berries of feveral kinds, mulberries,
and infebis ; and the flefh is accounted very palatable.
This bird is faid to be the moft excellent fongfter in the world,
■ the Nightingale of Europe not excepted; and like that frequently
* Often in the ebony-tree. Shane.
lings
{invs the greateft part of the night, perched on the fummit of
fome tall tree, or chimney top. Its natural note is truly fine,
and varied without end; but befides this, it has the faculty of
imitating the notes of others, which it even exceeds in melody.
Turdus orpheus, Lin. Syfi. i. p. 293. N® 11.
Le Moqueur, Brif. am. ii. p. 262. N" 27.—Buf. elf. Ui. p. 325.
Cencontlatolli, Ran Syn. p. 159.
Polyglott Bird, Will. orn. p. 294.
Lefler Mocking Bird, Edvo. pi. 78.— Brovjn. Jam. p. 469.
COM EW H A T lefs than the la ft: length eight inches and a
half. Bill blackifh brown; the bale befet with briftles:
through the eyes pafies a kind of wreath, from the gape to
the hind head, and over the eyes is a pale line : the upper part
of the body is brownifh afh-colour; the under very pale, nearly
white: tail a little cuneiform in fhape; of a dufky brown colour,
except the outer feathers, which are wholly white, and the fecond
white on the outer web : legs black.
This is a native of the warmer parts of America, Jamaica, &c.
Like the laft, it has a fong infinitely varied, and imitates likcwife
that of all other birds.
Le Moqueur varie, Brif. ern. ii. p. 264.
Tzaupan, Raii Syn. p. 160.— IVill. orn. 394.
*JpH IS differs merely in being Variegated with black and
whitifh above; and having a mixture of black and cinereous,
fpotted with white, beneath.
Said to be found in New Spain.
V o l . II. G
43*
m o c k in g
THR.
Description,
« •
V ar. A.
Description.
Turdus
Place,