out its joyous notes. The mockingbird caught the last strain 

 and repeated the song so exactly that one would not have 

 been able to distinguish the singer, had not the audience 

 caught him in the act. Not only once, but several times was 

 this grand opera enacted, much to the delight of the listeners. 

 Its visit had been prolonged until every hope was enter- 

 tained for its permanent residence here, but about May 1 its 

 morning song no longer greeted the nature lover who had 

 visited its haunts daily, for it had gone. On the evening of 

 June 24 it again appeared in the Alexander yard, only to 

 leave a lasting impression of its no less amiable disposition, 

 for it fought a robin from a wild cherry tree, remained about 

 ten minutes, then disappeared, probably forever. 



GERTRUDE E. V. ALEXANDER 



THE STARLING IN KNOX COUNTY 



At the field meeting of the members of the Knox Acad- 

 emy of Arts and Sciences Friday, August 26, the ornitholog- 

 ists of the party noted a starling, in company with a flock of 

 sparrows. Prof. A. O. Gross, one of the party, was the first 

 to call attention to the bird. This is the first record, it is 

 believed, of the starling in Rockland, and indicates that the 

 bird is working its way north. 



"Please accept thanks of the Society" (Boston Society 

 of Natural History) "for the first number of the Maine 

 Naturalist. I congratulate you on its excellent appearance 

 and on the personnel of the editing staff. It should result in 

 the preservation and discovery of many interesting facts in 

 regard to our local Natural history." — Glover M. Allen, 

 Secretary. 



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