1106 



Keport of State Geologist. 



Subfamily MIMIN^E. Thrashers. 



165. Genus MIMUS Boik. 



295. (703). Mimus polyglottus (Linn.). 



Mockingbird. 





Mockingbird. 

 (Judd. — Year Book, United States Department of Agriculture, 1895, p. 415. 



Adult. — Above, ashy-gray; below, whitish; wings and tail, blackish^ 

 the former with two white wing-bars and large- white spot at base of 

 primaries, latter with one or three outer feathers more or less white; 

 bill and legs, black. 



Length, 9.00-11.00; wing, 4.10-4.90; tail, 4.50-5.75. 



Eange. — North America, from Mexico (Tehuantepec), and Baha- 

 mas, regularly to southern Indiana, Maryland and Colorado; rarely to 

 Massachusetts, Maine, Ontario, northern Illinois and Wyoming. Eesi- 

 dent, and breeds throughout its v.<\\i\\ range. 



Nest, of twigs, weeds and grass, lined with grass and roots; in bush 

 or tree, often in thicket or orchard; sometimes in corner of fence. 

 Eggs, 4-6; pale greenish-blue, spotted with chocolate and yellowish- 

 brown, often mostly grouped at larger end; .97 by .69. 



The Mockingbird is well known in song and story, but as a native 

 bird, to most of the people of Indiana, it is unknown. Other birds 

 are called by its name, sometimes with a qualifying term. The Cat- 

 bird is called the Carolina Mockingbird, the Brown Thrashers, the 

 Brown or English Mockingbird, though why English, I cannot 

 imagine. These birds are classed with our famous bird because of 

 their musical ability, but the Loggerhead Shrike is often called Mock- 

 ingbird because in its flight it somewhat resem.bles that species. Often 

 the present bird is called the Southern Mockingbird. 



