Mockingbird 45 



Mockingbird. — Mimus polyglottos. 10.50 



Very Rare Straggler 



Field marks. — Long, slender, symmetrical bird; upper parts 

 soft grayish, becoming dark olivaceous on wings and 

 tail ; basal half of primaries and outer tail-feathers white ; 

 under parts ashy to white. 



In the early Spring of 1 900 an Albany woman saw a long, 

 slender, grayish bird feeding on the scarlet berries of a small 

 tree in Washington Park. She at first thought it to be a 

 Cuckoo, but on closer observation with the glass, it seemed to 

 be nothing less than a Mockingbird. Not trusting to her own 

 judgment, the lady immediately informed two local bird au- 

 thorities, and together the three visited the Park on the follow- 

 ing day. They were amazed to find the same bird in the same 

 tree, now thoroughly at home and feeding at leisure on the 

 luscious berries, which had stuck to the twigs over Winter. 

 Mockingbird allowed the observers to come very close to the 

 tree, where they had an excellent opportunity to look him over 

 and note all his characteristics. There was no doubt about the 

 identification. The bird was seen every day for a week, and 

 then he disappeared. But while with us, Mockingbird quali- 

 fied as a pugilist, if not as a singer; he fought well, but 

 scorned to sing. Robins, Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, and 

 even English Sparrows, were forced to keep their distance and 

 Mocker was the ruler of that berry tree. He came, he was 

 seen, and he conquered; and when the berries were all gone, he 

 went, too. This Mockingbird was a straggler, and it will 

 probably be many years before another is seen in this County. 



