8 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



of South America, has been developed into that 

 marvellous faculty these two species possess of faith- 

 fully imitating the songs of all other birds* The two 

 species I have just named, while mockers of the songs of 

 other birds, also retain their own original music their 

 " natural song," as an American ornithologist calls it* 



The Calandria makes its nest in the middle of a 

 large bush or low thorn-tree standing by itself; it 

 is deep, like the nest of a Thrush in form, built of 

 sticks, thorns, and grass, and lined with thistle-down 

 or some other soft material. The eggs are four or 

 five, pale blue, and thickly marked with reddish- 

 brown spots* 



When the nest is approached the parent birds 

 demonstrate their anxiety by uttering loud, harsh, 

 angry notes* 



It is generally believed that the Calandria will not 

 live in captivity. I have, however, seen a few indivi- 

 duals in cages, but they never sang* 



PATAGONIAN MOCKING-BIRD 



Mimus patachonicus 



Above and beneath grey, paler on the under surface and tinged 

 with rufous on the belly ; throat and eye-mark white ; wings black ; 

 tail black, tipped with white ; bill and feet black ; eye olive-green ; 

 length 9.2 inches. Female smaller in size and lighter in colour. 



THE Patagonian Mocking-bird, which I met with 

 during my sojourn on the Rio Negro of Patagonia, 

 closely resembles the species just described, but is 



