PATAGONIAN MOCKING-BIRD 9 



smaller, the plumage is of a darker grey, and the 

 irides are also of a darker green. It is a common 

 bird, resident, lives alone or with its mate, feeds on 

 insects and berries, and in its manner of flight and 

 habits is like Mimas modulator. The nest is made in 

 the centre of a bush of thorns and sticks, and lined 

 with dry grass, cow-hair, or other soft material ; 

 the eggs are four in number, bluntly pointed, and 

 thickly marked with dark flesh-coloured spots* When 

 the nest is approached the parent birds come close to 

 the intruder, often perching within a yard of his head, 

 but without uttering any sound, differing in this 

 respect from M. modulator. 



The song of the Patagonian bird is in character 

 like that of the northern species, the variety of its 

 notes being apparently infinite ; there are, however, 

 some differences worth mentioning. The singing of 

 the Patagonian species is perhaps inferior, his voice 

 being less powerful, while his mellow and clear notes 

 are constantly mingled with shrill ones, resembling 

 the cries of some of the Dendrocolaptine birds. 

 While incapable of notes so loud or so harsh as those 

 of the northern bird, or of changes so wild and 

 sudden, he possesses an even greater variety of soft 

 notes. Day after day for many months I have heard 

 them singing, yet never once listened to them for 

 any length of time without hearing some note or 

 phrase I had never heard before. The remarks I 

 have made concerning the Calandria's mocking- 

 faculties also apply to this bird : but though he does 

 not actually repeat the notes and songs of other 



