On, Birds observed in Amelia County, Virginia. G7 



bush, has impressed it upon his mind. They are most pugnacious 

 birds themselves, attacking and vanquishing every bird which 

 frequents the neighbourhood of the house near vi^hich they have 

 established themselves. In the Purple Grackle, however, they 

 find more than their match, and the contest between them always 

 ends in the defeat of the mocking-birds, and their expulsion from 

 the vicinity. Although it is such a perfect mimic, yet as a vocalist 

 I do not think it approaches to our own song thrush. It some- 

 times sings to itself at night, in a low, monotonous, dreamy sort 

 of way, and several of them outside my window, have often thus 

 kept me awake in the hot summer nights. Its life is protected 

 by law, and its exportation from the State prohibited. 



Galeoscoptes carolinensis (Caban.) Cat-Bird. — It arrives 

 about the end of April. The earliest date I have seen it was on 

 the 23rd, though I heard it squalling in the bushes late on the 

 previous evening. They remain until autumn, and from every 

 bunch of briars, and the bushes lining the streams, comes their 

 absurdly kitten-like cry ; and though they dive into the thickest 

 part on the first alarm, they are not shy birds, but in half a 

 minute or so, will come out and mew at you a few yards further 

 off. They sing rather well, and are tolerably good imitators of 

 the notes of other birds. They are protected by law. 



SiALiA siALis (Band.) Blue-Bird. — There is something about 

 this little bird which, though it difiers so much in colour yet, 

 strikingly reminds us of the English Robin. It is I believe a 

 partial migrant, appearing in flocks in the end of February, a.nd 

 again in October ; but they may be seen at any time of the year 

 sitting on some post or twig, and flying to the ground now and 

 then, to pounce on some grub or insect, and flitting down the 

 fence from post to post in front, as one rides along the road. 

 They breed early in spring, and generally lay their pale blue eggs 

 in a hole in some decayed tree or post. They are protected by 

 law. 



Regulus SATRAPA (Licht.) Gold-Crest. — This is a winter 

 visitor. During some years I have found it not at all uncommon, 

 and in others I have not seen a single specimen the whole winter. 

 The earliest date I have observed its arrival has been the 2nd of 

 December ; but it is more commion in January. It is generally 

 found in pairs, frequenting chiefly deciduous timber, often alone 



