MOCKERS AND SCOLDERS 131 



on the mountain sides, giving his inquisitive, question- 

 ing, mocking notes, and so earns a second name in 

 those places, where he is called the Mountain ]\locking- 

 bird. 



" Though he is a good deal smaller than the true 

 Mockingbird of the South, they have many points in 

 common. They can both imitate almost any sound that 

 strikes their fancy, such as the songs of other birds, 

 whistle various tunes of their own, and almost mock 

 the peculiarities of human speech. Not that they all 

 do it — oh, no, many have only their own beautiful 

 natural song ; every Mockingbird has not the power 

 of imitation, l)ut certain members of the tribe acquire 

 a knack of mockery of which they seem quite con- 

 scious. 



"The Sage Thrasher, though gentle and sociable in 

 its wild state, does not thrive in cages as well as the 

 true Mocker. It seems to miss the broad expanse of 

 plain and mountain to which it has been used, and 

 seldom lives long in confinement. 



" Read what you have written about the size and 

 color of this Thrasher," said the Doctor to Rap. 



The Sage Thrasher 



Length eight inches. 



Upper parts gray, tinged with brown. 



Under parts white shaded to bnff, and spotted thickly on the 

 breast with very dark brown, almost black. 



Two white bands on each wing, and white spots on the end of 

 the tail. 



A Summer Citizen of the western United States. 



A Ground Gleaner, Tree Trapper, and Seed Sower. 



