..^j THE MAINE ^^, 



Drnitliologist and Oologist. 



VOL. I 



G ULAND.Mh:. FEB, 1891. 



NOXll 



TliQ Mockingbird. 



( jllmiis Poly^jlottus. ) 



— i-^'SaA«-s 



'riii.> is a wc'.l knowM bird all ovoi- 

 tlie '^oiit)'', !mt is liltie I now ii* t!u' 

 X(»i tlj I suppose. Wliat place in tlir 

 Si>uth VAU yon go without being cliarm- 

 e.l v\iti: tlie melodious warble (( tl;e 

 M'x'kiiiiibirt]. 



?!>() numerous arc the songs afthisbird 

 tluitany ouc inoxi eriHiioed .xould never 

 know l>iit. that he was surrounded bv 

 ail the birds iu'.iabitiiig Jie <• )U!itry. 



Kruin mf»ru till nii^jit lie pours 

 loi th bis st()len song F have heard 

 ihein in the tree tops of a Spriijj> 

 mnniing, liist c)(.>\iij«i in iiuit,«ti(»n 

 o[ the bai-r. yaid- Fowls, then the alarm 

 ery (){' n G linea^ next the sh'.-iil pierc- 

 ing scream ot a. Jay as a Ilawl: a))pr(i- 

 ches it. Tl.'is is ke,-t up from j-uu till 

 sun and occasionally a little later. 



The Mockiuid-ird isof a clear jjrav, 

 al) ove ; tiie under jiurts ai-e wiiite, wiMi 

 a faint brownish tinge; the win'j"s and 

 tail are nearly black, exc(»i.t the lesser 

 wiag c. verts, whi-h are like the back 

 and are tip-d with white forming tv.o 

 bands. It i-, with ai', a vew 'jvAf-v 

 i\u\ bird witlj slender bill and delieat. 



riie nost is a viiry unique affali-, com- 

 poj-ed chieHy of sticks, lined with a 

 thin co.itiag of m )ss, horse liair, cotton 

 and wool ; and is plucd in some tliick 

 bush w^ll hid. Ilmi from the" eye of the 

 tra\e'c'*. I; jrcr.cmlly poes to its iU'>t 

 *ery iiidirect'y, a'.iuhting (Ui some (^.is- 

 tant branch and hopping lo it tiirough 

 the leav'es. 



Wlien you approi\ch it.- home it be- 

 comes very uneasy, tnak.ing a (!i.-tres?ed 

 cry whieli is Mivy toufddng fo he:!r. 



Tlie eggs are varied ; son. e. are .m' a 

 rich bluish-iireen color \^ u'le others {'.re 

 a solid even bro\vn, without tlie blue 

 ground, the latter being rare. 

 Mockingbird.- when tai.cn young make 

 very interesting i>eis : they soon rectiu- 

 ci!t.' themselves to ca|)tivii:/ and delight 

 thei) owner with rare ^iils tiie live- 

 '<iig tlay .,-.:: 



Geo. i\inrs, N C. 



Nesting of the Golden- 

 ccowned Thrush. 



i^'ciiiHs Anroc 'pillvs. 



This bird (ami iaidy known bv the 

 n.ime n{' '•()\en liird" anives in this 

 localty about the middle of ]Mav ; but 

 are not very ilcmifnl. It re.=ln*.ts 

 i:si!!f mosf'y to low Ijiiid woods. a)id 

 usually oests nLiong thiek undeibiiibh 



