Vox. Il, Pr. II] GIFFORD—BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 209 
tion to them, even though the mockers undoubtedly break eggs 
when the opportunity offers. It was a rainy day and the 
mockers presented a most bedraggled appearance. 
On Hood on September 24, they were noted as very quar- 
relsome, and as uttering a harsh note at that time. A short 
song was also noted. On September 29 some were heard 
singing on Gardner-near-Hood. On February 3 they were 
again heard singing on the same island, and on Hood two 
days later some were singing. On June 24, after the breed- 
ing season; three or four calls were heard. Two or three 
birds we had alive in a basket could, by uttering a single, rich, 
full note, send all the mockers in sight into the brush as fast 
as they could travel; this was apparently a cry of warning. 
The young birds which were about seemed to employ only one 
call, a shrill cry, used also in begging parents for food. When- 
ever a Man-o’-war Bird or Galapagos Hawk passed over, al- 
though high up, most of the birds would look up apprehen- 
sively. 
The nesting season appears to be in February. A male 
taken January 31 had large testes. On the same day I no- 
ticed two or three pairs chasing each other on the ground 
through the brush, an occurrence noted a number of times in 
the following days. On February 3 and 5 fresh nests were 
seen. On the latter date I found a nest occupied by a female 
and four fresh eggs of a greenish blue ground color, covered 
thickly with pale brown spots. The nest was built at the 
junction of two bushes, about four feet above the ground. 
The foundation was of twigs, and was loose and bulky. The 
inner part consisted of grass, goat’s hair, and cotton, and was 
about two inches deep-—shallow compared to two or three 
other mocker nests seen. The bird did not leave until I was 
quite close, and then went only a few feet away. 
About half of the birds seen during our visit in June were 
immature. All, however, were as audacious as usual. On 
June 24 the young birds noted seemed to feed themselves sat- 
isfactorily until the parents appeared, when they would be- 
come very helpless and solicitous. When a youngster wished 
to be fed, it fluttered its wings, elevated its tail, lowered its 
head, and called imploringly to the parent. I did not see any 
fed, however. Young were noted chasing each other. Adults 
were in fresh plumage. 
