50 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



manifested in this immense series is really surprising ; we can discover 

 no difl'erence of color that does not depend ou age, sex, season, or the 

 individual (though tlie variations of the latter kind are exceedingly rare, 

 and when noticed, very slight). Althougli the average of Western speci- 

 mens have slightly longer tails than Eastern, a Florida example (No. 

 54,8-50, (?, Enterprise, Feb. 19), has a tail as long as that of the longest- 

 tailed Western one (No. 8,165, Fort Yuma, Gila Eiver, Dec). Specimens 

 from Colima, Mirador, Orizaba, and Mazatlan are quite identical -with 

 Northern ones. 



Habits. The Mocking-Bird is distributed on the Atlantic coast, from 

 Massachusetts' to Florida, and is also found to the Pacific. On the latter 

 coast it exhibits certain variations in forms, but hardly enough to separate it 

 as a distinct species. It is by no means a common bird in New England, 

 but instances of its breeding as far north as Springfield, Mass., are of con- 

 stant occurrence, and a single individual was seen by Mr. Boardnian near 

 Calais, Me. It is met with every year, more or less frecjuently, on Long 

 Island, and is more common, but l)y no means abundant, in New Jersey. It 

 is found abundantly in ever}' Southern State, and tln-oughout Mexico. It 

 has also been taken near Grinnell, Iowa. 



A warm climate, a low country, and the vicinity of the sea appear to be 

 most congenial to their nature. Wilson found them less numerous west of 

 the Alleghany than on the eastern side, in the same parallels. Throughout 

 the winter he met with them in the Southern States, feeding on the berries of 

 the red cedar, myrtle, holly, etc., with whicli the swampy thickets abounded. 

 They feed also upon winged insects, which they are very expert in catching. 

 In Louisiana they remain throughout the entire year, approaching farm- 

 houses and plantations in the winter, and living about the gardens and out- 

 hou,ses. Tliey may be i'rccpuintly seen j)erched upon the roofs of houses and 

 on the chimney-tops, and are always lull of life and animation. When the 

 weather is mild the old males may be heard singing with as much s))irit as 

 in the spring or summer. They are much more familiar than in the more 

 northern States. In Georgia they do not begin to sing until February. 



The vocal powers of the Mocking-Bird exceed, both in their imitative 

 notes and in their natural song, those of any other species. Their voice is 

 full, strong, and musical, and capable of an almost endless variation in mod- 

 ulation. The wild scream of the Eagle and the soft notes of the Bluebird 

 are repeated with exactness and with apparently equal facility, while both in 

 force and sweetness the ]\Ioc:king-Bird will often improve upon the original. 



The song of the Mocking-Bird is not altogether imitati\'e. His natural 

 notes are bold, rich, and full, and are varied almost without limitation. 

 They are frequently interspersed with imitations, and both are uttered with 

 a rapidity and emphasis that can hardly be equalled. 



The Mocking-Bird readily becomes accustomed to confinement, and loses 

 little of the power, energy, or variety of its song, but often nuich of its sweet- 



