They visit us first,
when Mulberries are ripe, which Fruit they love extremely.
They peck the Apples, to eat the Kernels, so that the Fruit rots and perishes.
They are mischievous to Orchards. They are often taken alive, and will become
familiar and tame in two days. They have their Nests in hollow Trees,
in low, swampy Ground. They devour the Birch-Buds in April,
and lie hidden when the Weather is frosty and hard.
{Thrushes.}
The Thrushes in America, are the same as in England,
and red under the Wings. They never appear amongst us but in hard Weather,
and presently leave us again.
{Wood-Peckers.}
Of Wood-peckers, we have four sorts. The first is as big as a Pigeon,
being of a dark brown Colour, with a white Cross on his Back, his Eyes circled
with white, and on his Head stands a Tuft of beautiful Scarlet Feathers.
His Cry is heard a long way; and he flies from one rotten Tree to another,
to get Grubs, which is the Food he lives on.
{Second.}
The second sort are of an Olive-Colour, striped with yellow. They eat Worms
as well as Grubs, and are about the Bigness of those in Europe.
{Third.}
The third is the same Bigness as the last; he is pied with black and white,
has a Crimson Head, without a Topping, and is a Plague to the Corn and Fruit;
especially the Apples. He opens the Covering of the young Corn,
so that the Rain gets in, and rots it.
{Fourth.}
The fourth sort of these Wood-peckers, is a black and white speckled,
or mottled; the finest I ever saw. The Cock has a red Crown;
he is not near so big as the others; his Food is Grubs, Corn,
and other creeping Insects. He is not very wild, but will let one
come up to him, then shifts on the other side the Tree,
from your sight; and so dodges you for a long time together.
He is about the size of an English Lark.
{Mocking-Birds.}
The Mocking-Bird is about as big as a Throstle in England, but longer;
they are of a white, and gray Colour, and are held to be
the Choristers of America, as indeed they are. They sing with
the greatest Diversity of Notes, that is possible for a Bird to change to.
They may be bred up, and will sing with us tame in Cages;
yet I never take any of their Nests, altho' they build yearly
in my Fruit-Trees, because I have their Company, as much as if tame,
as to the singing Part. They often sit upon our Chimneys in Summer,
there being then no Fire in them, and sing the whole Evening
and most part of the Night. They are always attending our Dwellings;
and feed upon Mulberries and other Berries and Fruits;
especially the Mechoacan-berry, which grows here very plentifully.
