ack bill was opened, and his lead-coloured throat became expanded in a
song, you forgot all about the dull hue of his plumage. You all at once
forgot the bright wings of the paroquet, and the beautiful form of the
oriole; the red-bird, the blue-jay, and the wakon, were alike forgotten,
and you gazed upon this sweet musician with delight and admiration. As
you continued to listen, you would notice that he mimicked almost every
sound that occurred within hearing. When any of the others commenced to
sing, he would catch the strain--as it were, from their lips--and,
giving it in a far higher and bolder tone, shame them into silence.
This, I need hardly tell you, was the famous mock-bird--the nightingale
of America.

"While Frank was daily increasing his stock of winged creatures, Harry
was not idle among the quadrupeds. No less than five kinds of squirrels
had been caught and caged. These were the grey, black, and red or fox
varieties of the tree squirrel, and two species of ground squirrel--one
the common hackee, or chipping squirrel; while the other was a new
species, which we had caught on the desert plain above, among the roots
of the _artemisia_ plant. This last was a beautiful little creature,
not much larger than a mouse, and striped like a little zebra. It has
never--as far as I can tell--been described by naturalists; and on this
account, as well as from its peculiar size and beauty, it was a general
favourite with all of us, particularly with Luisa and Mary, in whose
laps it soon learnt to sleep, like a tamed mouse.

"Besides the squirrels, Harry's collection embraced a hare and a couple
of raccoons. These last were the produce of a night-hunt or two which
Cudjo had made with the dogs; and although these fox-like animals were
by no means useful pets, yet they gave a variety to our collection, and
added to our amusement in the observation of their curious habits."

CHAPTER THIRTY.

THE BITERS BIT.

"Our next was a fishing excursion. As I have said, Cudjo had already
discovered that our stream contained fish, and had caught several of
them. They were something like bass, although differing considerably
from the common species. Nevertheless they were very delicious eating,
and we were all very fond of them.

"We set forth in the morning, but on this occasion we left Pompo and his
cart behind, as we had not far to go--only a short distance down the
stream, where Cudjo knew a large pool in which th