PASSERES MERULIDiE ORPHEUS. 67 



THE COMMON MOCKING-BIRD. 



Orpheus polyglottus. 



plate xxxix. fig. 84. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Tardus polyglottus, LiNNiEOS. Wilson, Am .Orn. Vol. 2, p. 13, pi. 10, fig. 1. 



The Common Mocking-bird. Aodubon. pi. 21 ; Orn. Biog. Vol. I, p. 108, and Vol. 5, p. 438. Nuttall, Man. 



Orn. Vol. 1. p. 320, figure. 

 Mimus polyglottus. Bonaparte, Geographical and Comparative List, p. 17. 

 Orpheus polyglottus. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 2, p. 187, pi. 138. 

 O. id., Grey Mocking-bird. Gikaod, Birds of Long island, p. 82. 



Characteristics. Ash-colored. Eyebrows and beneath whitish ; base of the primaries, 

 tips of the coverts and the lateral tail-feathers white. Tail wedge- 

 shaped. Length, 9-10 inches. 



Description. Above ash-colored : the wings and tail dark brown ; the first and second 

 rows of coverts tipped with white. The first four quill-feathers are white at their bases, as 

 far as the tips of their coverts ; the remainder are white to a greater extent, but much variety- 

 is observed among individuals in this respect. The two outer tail-feathers white ; the re- 

 mainder, except the two middle ones, tipped and sometimes spotted with white. Chin white ; 

 the remaining under parts light ashen grey, the base of the feathers being slate. Bill, legs 

 and feet black : base of the lower mandible light colored. Female : the white spot on the 

 primaries less clear, and not spreading over more than seven or eight of the primaries, and ex- 

 tending farther down on the inner web. The back is rather more inclined to brown. Young, 

 spotted on the breast. 



Length, 10-0. Alar extent, 14-0. 



The Mocking-bird, the peculiar ornament of the forests of the Southern and some of the 

 Middle States, is comparatively rare in New- York, although some are occasionally found in 

 Rhode-Island and Massachusetts. The specimen figured in the plate, was shot in Rockland 

 county. I have seen them occasionally in Queens county, where, indeed, I have been as- 

 sured that they breed ; but my information is not to be implicitly relied on. The unrivalled 

 powers of song attributed to this bird are too well known to be repeated here. It is found 

 25 degrees south of the equator, and ranges to 44° of north latitude. It lays 4-6 pale green 

 eggs, spotted and blotched with brown. It has been observed with us towards the end of 

 May. Its food is various, consisting of berries of the holly, sumach, etc., and of insects, 

 worms and spiders. Peculiar to the torrid and temperate zones of the two Americas. 



9* 



