344 



U. S. p. R. R EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



longitudinal ridges seen in most of the species of Harporhynclius. The tail is less graduated 

 and shorter ; the feet appear less stout ; the wings are rather longer. 

 The sub-genera are as follows : 



MiMCS. — Culmen much curved from the base. Wings considerably shorter than the tail, 

 which is a good deal graduated. First primary half the second. 



Olive gray above ; beneath whitish ; wings and tail black; the base of primaries and the 



tips of the tail white polygloltus. 



Galeoscoptes. — Much like Mimus. Wings a little chorter than the tail. 



Plumbeous, paler beneath ; crissum brownish orange. Top of bead and tail blackish 

 brown carolinensis. 



Comparative measurements of species. 



Catal . 

 No. 



3867 

 8167 

 6516 

 i>159 

 8159 

 8143 

 3596 

 Do.. 

 2S43 



Species. 



Mimus polyglottus,. 



do do 



....do do 



do do 



.. ..do., iiiontanus.... 



....do do 



do., carolinensis.. 



....do do 



... do do 



Locality. 



Louisiana 



Washington, D.C 

 Indian Key, Fla.. 

 Los Angeles val, , 



San Diego 



Los Angeles val., 



Carlisle, Pa 



do 



.do.. 



Length. 



Stretch 

 of wings 



9.16 



8.76 ! 

 8.10 I 

 lu 10 

 7.90 

 8.00 

 8.116 



s.sa 



7.50 



Wing. 



4.30 

 4.00 

 3.90 

 4.68 

 4.06 

 3.82 

 3.62 

 3.66 

 3.40 



Tail. 



5.14 

 4.62 

 4.72 



5.78 

 4.08 

 3.80 

 4.16 



1.18 

 1.22 

 1.18 

 1.30 

 1.13 

 1.17 

 1.06 



1.02 



Middle 

 toe. 



1.08 

 1.U4 

 1.14 

 0.93 

 0.94 

 1.00 



1.00 



[ts claw 

 alone. 



28 

 0.27 

 0.94 

 0.30 

 0.24 

 0.24 

 0.26 



Bill 

 above. 



0.72 

 0.68 

 0.68 

 0.72 

 0.68 

 0.64 

 0.70 



0.66 



Along 

 gape. 



Specimen 

 measured. 



0.94 

 0.96 

 90 

 1.00 

 0.96 

 96 

 0.92 



Dry... 

 Dry.... 

 Dry.... 

 Dry.... 

 Dry.... 

 Dry.... 

 Dry.... 

 Fresh . 

 Dry..., 



MIMUS POLYGLOTTUS, B o i e . 



Mockiiis Bird. 



Turdus polygloltus, Linnaeus, Syst Nat. 1, 17CG, 293.— Wilson, Am. Orn. 11, 1810, 14 ; pi. x, f. ].— Bon. Syn- 



1828, 76.— AiiD. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 108 : V, 1839, 438 ; pi. 21. 

 Mimus pohjglollus, Boie, Isis, Oct 1826, 972. — Bon. List, 1838.— 1b. Con8pe<:tus, 1850, 276. 



OqiheuspohjglolUis, Swainson, Zool .Tour. Ill, 1827, 167.— AuD. Syn. 1839.— In. Birds Am. II, 1841, 187 ; pi. 137. 

 ' Orjihcus hucopterus. Vigors, Zool. Beechey's Voyage, 1839. 

 Sp, Ch.— Third to sixth quills rearly equal ; second shorter than seventh. Tail considerably graduated. Above ashy brown, 

 the feathers very obsoletely darker centrally, and towards the liglit pliiinbcons downy basal portion, (scarcely appreciable, 

 except when the feathers are lifted.) The under parts are white, with a faint brownish tinge, except on the chin, and 

 with a fhade of ash across the breast. There is a pule superciliary stripe, but the lores are dusky. The wings and tail are nearly 

 black, except the lesser wing coverts, which are like the back ; the middle and greater tipped with white, forming two bands ; 

 the basal portion of the primaries white ; most extended on the inner primaries. The oulcr t il feather is white ; the second is 

 mostly white, except on the outer web and towards the base ; tho Ihiril with a wliile spot on the end ; the rest, except the 

 middle, very slightly tipped with white. The bill and legs are black. Length, 9. .50 ; wing, 4.50 ; tail, 5.00 



//ad. Southern United Slates from Atlantic ti high central plains. Perhaps replaced by another species to tho I'Ucifio. 



This species varies somewhat in color with the specimen. The white at the base of the quills 

 shows only on the more exterior primaries in tlie closed wing. The tertials are sometimes 

 ed^ed with white. The inner tail feathers are edged externally with the color of the back, but 

 this is not conspicuous. There are some very obsolete streaks on the sides. 



The female bird is distinguished by the less extent of the white at the base of the primaries. 

 In the male the white on the inner primaries occupies more tlian one- half of tlie free portion of 

 the quill ; in the female it is much less extensive. 



Sometimes there is a strong tinge of brownish yellow on tlie posterior portion of tlio body 

 beneath. One male specimen, probably immature, bus liiint and obsolete transverse bars on 



