302 BULLETIN 19 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



As noted above, the mocker has become an uncommon resident in 

 southern New Enghmd and, of course, nests there. 



An instance of bigamy in the mockingbird is reported by Amelia 

 R. Laskey, of Nashville, Tenn. (MS.) She states that it is "a sur- 

 prising situation in a species where both sexes are strong defenders 

 of territory. A male that occupied one portion of our lot since 1936 

 had a certain mate from February 1938 until her probable death this 

 past December (1939). She remained in his territory with him 

 throughout the winter also. In April 1937, while she was incubating 

 eggs across the road, he acquired another mate. He was seen carrying 

 nesting material for the second nest, 250 feet from the other, and 

 very close to our house. The male watched both nests, appearing 

 at both just as soon as I went near for observation. The young of 

 mate No. 1 were several days old and the eggs of No. 2 were due to 

 hatch when the nest was robbed ; the second female then disappeared." 



Arthur T. Wayne (1910) mentions an apparent instance of a mock- 

 ingbird mating with a brown thrasher {Toxostoma rufum)^ as both 

 species were seen feeding young in the same nest. This strange occur- 

 rence was noted in Charleston County, S. C. 



Frederick V. Hebard sends us the following notes on the nesting 

 sites chosen by the mockingbird in the Okefinokee : "A decided prefer- 

 ence was shown for the holly {Ilex opaca)^ eight nests being found in 

 the planted hollies at Camp Cornelia. Four were found in live oaks 

 {Quercus mrginiana), although magnolias {Magnolia grandifolia) , 

 in which three were found, seem preferred if present. Other nests 

 were found in bamboo brier {Smilax sp.) 2; blackberry bushes 2; saw 

 palmetto {Serenoa repens) 2; waxmyrtle {Myrica cerifera) 1; water 

 oak {Quercus sp.) 1 ; and unknown deciduous bushes 2. The first brood 

 is usually raised in May and the second by the end of July. Some birds 

 build their nests with incredible rapidity. Layton Burch saw one bird 

 start and complete her nest on July 9 ; lay her eggs one a day, July 10, 

 11, 12, and 13; and begin incubating on July 15. The first young 

 hatched on July 24, and hatching was completed by the next morning. 

 The young had all left the nest by August 4. 



Eggs. — [Author's note : The mockingbird lays beautiful eggs, with 

 much variation in color and markings. Three to six eggs may consti- 

 tute a set, but four or five is the usual number. The prevailing shape 

 is ovate, with variations toward short-ovate or elongate-ovate. The 

 ground varies from bluish white or greenish white, through various 

 shades of bluish green or greenish blue, to some of the richer shades of 

 blue or green; "Nile blue" is a common shade. Most of the eggs are 

 heavily marked with spots and blotches, more or less evenly dis- 

 tributed, of various shades of brown, such as "hazel," "russet," "tawny,"' 

 or "cinnamon." One very odd ^gg before me is a spotless, very pale 

 blue, except for a dense, solid cap at the larger end of "cinnamon- 



