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The Mocking-bird at Moores Hill, Ind. 



By A. J. Bigney. 



The purpose of this brief article is to show bow tbis bird acts on en- 

 tering a new community, and to give evidence of its enlarging field of 

 activity. 



In Mr. Butler's catalogue of the Birds of Indiana 1 in 1S97, tbey were 

 reported in twelve counties in small numbers. In recent years tbey are 

 migrating in large numbers into tbe counties of southern Indiana. In 

 1905, about April 1st, the first mocking-bird was seen in the outskirts of 

 Moores Hill. It was rather shy, but made its whereabouts known by its 

 incessant singing, not only in the daytime, but also during most of the 

 night. Such singing had never been beard by our citizens. It continued 

 this behavior for about ten days, then left the community. The next sea- 

 son a pair returned to the same place and the air was again filled with 

 their music. Their usual imitation of the notes of other birds was a 

 marked characteristic. This season they nested in tbe honeysuckle vine 

 alongside a neighbor's house. They remained until late in the fall and 

 then migrated southward. During this season one other pair was seen 

 about two miles from town. 



Tbe following season several pairs were seen in and about town. The 

 last two seasons the numbers have gradually increased, so that now they 

 constitute one of our regular bird inhabitants. 



The question naturally comes up, why have they begun their rapid 

 advance into the north during the past few years? I can not answer this 

 question. I have heard that a kind of ant is troubling them in their nest- 

 ing and so they migrate to get rid of them. If any positive information 

 can be given, I should be glad to know of it. 



Moores Hill College, 

 Moores Hill, Ind. 



1 Amos W. Butler. The Birds of Indiana. Twenty-second Annual Report of 

 the Department of Geology and Natural Resources of Indiana, 1897. 



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