TKOGLODYTID^. — CLXXV. 307 



scolding. Part of them (Cistothorus) live in reedy swamps and 

 marshes, where they hang astonishingly big globular nests, with a 

 little hole on one side, on tufts of rushes, and lay six or eight dark- 

 colored eggs ; the others nest anywhere." (Coues.) To the Mi- 

 mince belongs the first of song-birds, the mocking-bird. All of the 

 Troglodytinm and Mimince are _plainly colored, being chiefly brown. 

 All are insectivorous, and most of them migratory. Genera about 

 23, species 150, most abundant in tropical America. 

 a. Bill with bristles at the rictus; inner toe free to the base. Mockers. (Mi- 



mXTKB.) 



6. Tail longer than wing. 

 c. Bill shorter than middle toe without claw ; bill notched at tip. 



d. Tarsal scutella distinct; (tail with white) Minus, 620. 



dd. Tarsal scutella indistinct; (tail without white). 



Galeoscopies, 521. 

 cc. Bill not shorter than middle toe with claw, often decurved; bill 



scarcely notched at tip Haeporhynchus, 622. 



act. Bill not notched, without evident bristles at the rictus ; inner toe some- 

 what joined at base to middle ; nostril with a small scale. Wrens. 

 ( TroglodytirKE. ) 

 f. Outer tail feathers reaching decidedly beyond tips of longest lower 

 coverts ; (back without lengthwise streaks). 

 g. Bill rather stout, somewhat decurved at tip ; (back without cross-bars ; 



superciliary streak distinct) Thryothoeus, 523. 



gg. Bill more slender, straight or slightly decurved; (back with cross-bars 

 more or less distinct; no distinct superciliary stripe). 



Troglodytes, 524. 



ff. Outer tail-feathers reaching little beyond tips of lower coverts ; (back 



streaked lengthwise) Cistothorus, 525. 



520. MIMUS Boie. (Lat., mimic.) 



998. M. polyglottos (L.). Mocking - bird. Ashy brown 

 above, nearly white below ; wings blackish, with white wing bars ; 

 tail blackish, outer feathers white ; 9 with less white. L. 9^. W. 

 4-^. T. 5. U. S., chiefly southerly ; N. to Mass., Iowa, etc. A 

 famous singer, easily first among birds in the range and variety of 

 its notes. (ttoXvs, many ; y\5>TTa, tongue.) 



521. GALEOSCOPTES Cabanis. (yoKri, weasel ; crKomTrjs, 

 mocker.) 



999. G. carolinensis (L.). Cat-Bird. Dark' slate color; 

 crown and tail black ; crissum chestnut. L. 8|. W. 3f . T. 4. 

 N. Am., generally common ; a fine singer. 



522. HARPORHYNCHUS Cabanis. (apjrij, sickle ; pvyxos, 

 biU, true of the typical species.) 

 a. Tarsus longer than bill; lower parts spotted and streaked. {Methriopterus 

 Reichenbach.) 



1000. H. rufus (L.). Brown Thrush. Thrasher. Cinna- 



