74 



TUKDID^, THRUSHES. GEN. 2, 3. 



2. Genus OREOSCOPTES Baird. 



31ountain MocJcinc/bird . Brownish ash, below whitish, shaded behind, 

 thickly spotted with dusky ; 8 ; wing ncai-ly 5 ; tail 4. Rocky Mountain 

 region of United States. Aud., ii, 194, pi. 139; Bd., 347. . montanus. 



3. Genus MIMUS Boie. 



Moclcinghird . Ashy gray, below white, slightly shaded across breast 

 and along sides, wings and tail blackish, former with two white bars, and 

 much white at base of primaries, latter with 1-3 outer feathers partly or 

 wholly white. The $ is known by the much greater extent of wdiite on the 

 primaries, which is the mark of a "singer," as he is called, the $ being 

 songless, in captivity at any rate ; yowifj birds are spotted below the first 

 autumn. 9-10 long; wing about 4; tail about 5 (nearly 6 in var. from 

 California). Southern U. S. to Massachusetts, but not common north of 

 38° ; thronging the groves of the South Atlantic and Gulf States. Two or 

 three broods are generally reared each season. When taken from the nest, 

 the mockingbird becomes a contented captive ; and has been known to live 

 many years in confinement. Naturally an accomplished songster, he proves 

 an apt scholar, susceptible of improvement by education to an astonishing 

 degree ; but there is a great difference with individual birds in this respect. 

 WiLS., ii, 14, pi. 10, fig. 1 ; Aud., ii, 187, pi. 137 ; Bd., 344. polyglottus. 



Pig. 10. Mockingbircl ; about \ n.itural size. 



^ Catbird. Blackish-ash, or dark slate; crown and tail black; under tail 

 overts chestnut. 8-9 long; wing 3|, tail 4. Eastern United States; also 

 Washington Territory, Mexico, Central America and Bermuda. An' abund- 

 ant and familiar inhabitant of our groves and briery tracts, remarkable for 

 its harsh cry, like the mewing of a cat (whence its name), but also possessed 



