WHITE-BANDED MOCKING-BIRD n 



sound had an irritating effect on me; but a day or 

 two later they had apparently got tired of it them- 

 selves, and had resumed their usual varied singing* 



This bird usually sits still upon the summit of 

 a bush when singing, and its music is heard in all 

 seasons and in all weathers from dawn till after dark : 

 as a rule it sings in a leisurely, unexcited manner, 

 remaining silent for some time after every five or 

 six or a dozen notes, and apparently listening to his 

 brother-performers. These snatches of melody often 

 seem like a prelude or promise of something better 

 coming ; there is often in them such exquisite 

 sweetness and so much variety that the hearer is 

 ever wishing for a fuller measure, and still the bird 

 opens his bill to delight and disappoint him, as if 

 not yet ready to display his whole power* 



WHITE-BANDED MOCKING-BIRD 



Mimus triurus 



Above grey, brown on the rump ; beneath light grey ; wing black, 

 crossed with a broad white band ; tail white, except the two middle 

 feathers which are black ; bill and feet black ; eye orange yellow ; 

 length 9.5 inches. 



AZARA first met with this king of the Mocking-birds 

 in Paraguay a century ago ; he named it Calandria 

 de las tres colas t and described the plumage accur- 

 ately, but was, I think, mistaken about the colour of 



