THE MOCKING BIRD 299 



in shape, but there the resemblance ceases. The mocking 

 bird has one characteristic feature, that of jumping up and 

 down while singing, though he seldom does this except in 

 the mating season. At times he flies high in the air and 

 sings as he comes down, often singing until he reaches 

 the ground. 



Mocking birds are not found to any great extent along 

 the Pacific coast north of central California, or, coming 

 further east, much north of the Missouri and Ohio rivers, 

 but they have been found occasionally as far north as New 

 England. In my childhood days I saw three or four in 

 southern Iowa. 



Without doubt the mocking bird is one of our best 

 American songsters, and a great many bird lovers give him 

 first place among the wild birds of the world, preferring 

 him even to the nightingale. 



