92 TKXAS NATTJEE OBSERVATIONS AND REMINISCENOES. 



come to Texas to remain here 

 over winter in the forest thickets 

 or bushes of the prairie, in gardens, 

 hedges and yards of inhabited 

 places. A majority however, re- 

 main permanently here in Western 

 Texas, even if the weather condi- 

 tions are very unfavorable for 

 other bird species to remain here 

 and during ice cold northers they 

 are encountered out in the 

 prairie conjointly with the bush 



figs and grapes are grown, and 

 in some places the owners were 

 compelled to resort to exterminate 

 them. As a rule, though, the 

 mocking bird should b/ all means 

 be protected, as besides their bril- 

 liant songs they destroy immense 

 quantities of injurious insects, such 

 as beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, 

 ants, caterpillars and worms, etc' 



In San Antonio there is hardly 

 any other bird specie oftener 



Mocking Bird Nest and Eggs Inside 4 Berry Brush Thicket 

 (Photo on the Spot Found by the Writer) 



sparrow, field larks, black birds; 

 the red bird, woodpecker, scissor- 

 tail bird, wren and others. During 

 such cold winter months they 

 often gather in the yard and 

 even fly to the windows in search 

 of food and protection. During 

 summer time our mocking bird is 

 a welcomed guest of our gardens 

 and fields, etc., but sometimes 

 they are also very molesting to 

 such gardens and gardeners where 



seen than our mocking bird, due 

 mostly to the many fine gardens 

 and public parks and the protection 

 they receive especially during the 

 breeding time. In former years 

 and even today, some of our 

 Mexican population gathered quite 

 a large number of mocking birds 

 or "chilchontes" as the Mexican 

 calls them, during breeding time 

 for the market, and as a rule, 

 they, take much care in rearing 



