50 MOCKINGBIRD. 



themselves, we should say, for the pair are generally 

 together unless one is on the nest. In the woods they 

 scratch in dead leaves for bugs and worms, making 

 as much noise as chickens. 



Brown Thrashers are noted for devotion to their 

 nest, and most pathetic is their pleading whee-u when 

 it is approached; sometimes one will try to lure you 

 frorn the place by lighting a little distance away and 

 singing to you very softly and sweetly. Once when 

 I stumbled on a Thrasher family where the young 

 were evidently just out of the nest, the old birds be- 

 came so wild w4th fright that I was about to retreat, 

 when one of them flew to a low branch between me 

 and the rest of the family, and sang an exquisite 

 whisper-song with the obvious intention of charming 

 me into forgetfulness of the precious fledglings. 



The nest is on or near the ground, and the eggs, 

 3 to 6, are dull white, thickly speckled with brown. 

 The Thrasher is distinguished from a Thrush by his 

 long tail and light wing-bars. Langille says that he 

 is easily domesticated and capable of remarkable 

 friendship for man. 



M ockingbird : Mirnus polyglottos. 



Length lo^ inches. 



Upper parts ashy-gray; wings and tail blackish, marked 

 with white. 



Under parts grayish-white. 



Resident (uncommon) all the year; winters from Virginia 

 southward. 



This famous vocalist rarely nests here, although he 

 is found rather commonly at Colonial Beach, Piney 

 Point, and other summer resorts somewhat south of 

 us, and in lower Maryland breeds abundantly. 



