BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 303 



295 [703] Mimus polyglottos (Linn.). 

 Mockingbird. 



Accidental visitor from the south. 



One was taken at Nahant in June, 1852. 1 There are two specimens in the 

 Peabody Academy collection: one, a male, taken in Lynn on April 4th, 1893, 

 by C. E. Chase ; another bird was seen. The second specimen has soiled tail 

 feathers, and was probably an escaped cage bird. It was taken by R. O. 

 Wentworth " before 1895," at Nahant Beach. A pair was seen and one of the 

 birds taken at Ipswich on April 4th, 1893. 2 A Mockingbird was seen at Nahant 

 by Mr. H. W. King 3 on December 28th, 1903. Mr. King kindly wrote me on 

 March 12th, 1904, that the bird was first seen by Mr. Horace W. Wright, Mr. 

 Wellman, and himself and that they examined it closely but could see no dis- 

 figurements which would lead them to suppose that it was an escaped captive. 

 On January 30th, 1904, Mr. Wright saw the bird for a second time. 



296 [704] Galeoscoptes carolinensis (Linn.). 

 Catbird. 



Very common summer resident; April 27 to October 13; average date 

 of arrival for eight years, May 8. 



Eggs : May 23 to June 20. 



One of the best imitations I have seen this mimic give was that of a 

 Kingfisher, for the actions as well as the notes were copied. One July day on 

 the Ipswich River, a Catbird swooped down and flew across in front of my 

 canoe with such a perfect Kingfisher rattle and action that for a moment I was 

 deceived. 



1 F. W. Putnam : Proc. Essex Inst., vol. 1, p. 224, 1856. 



2 N. Vickary : Ornithologist and Oologist, vol. 18, p. 51, 1893. 



:l H. W. King: Bird-Lore, vol. 6, p. 8, 1904. 



