HABITS OF THE MOUNTAIN MOCKINGBIRD 51 



of those other species, all the individuals of which are mj^steri- 

 ously impelled to journey toward the pole, and settle for the 

 summer in areas perhaps more contracted than their winter 

 homes. 



For the general habits of this species I shall presently quote 

 Mr. Eidgway, who has made good use of the favorable oppor- 

 tunities he enjoyed ; but will first describe the eggs, which I 

 have examined in the National Museum at Washington. The 

 clutch usually numbers four, measuring from 0.94 to 1.03 in 

 length, and from 0.69 to 0.75 in breadth (inches and decimals). 

 The ground-color is light greenish-blue ; this is heavily marked 

 with burnt-umber or olive-brown spots, and a few others of 

 neutral tint. The pattern is generally bold and sharp, but in 

 some cases finer and more diffuse, when the numberless speck- 

 les and dots give an effect similar to that of some styles of 

 Mockingbirds' eggs. 



Instead of collating the fragmentary notices of writers who 

 have recorded their transient impressions or isolated observa- 

 tions, I shall conclude the history of the Mountain Mocking- 

 bird with an extract from the author last mentioned. Noting 

 that it inhabits sage-plains, especially of the "Great Basin", 

 and suggesting the name " Sage Thrasher " as more appro- 

 priate than " Mountain Mockingbird ", Mr. Eidgway goes on to 

 say, in his note-book now lying before me : — 



" Carson City, Nevada, March 24, 1808. — To-day we saw the 

 Sage Thrasher for the first time this spring, and heard its song. 

 The sage-brush was full of the birds, and many were singing 

 beautifully when the evening shades were lengthened by the 

 sinking of the sun behind the Sierras. Owing to the earliness 

 of the season, the song was uttered in a subdued tone, and its 

 full merits could not be appreciated. The bird was generally 

 seen sitting in an upright position upon a sage bush, but when 

 approached would dive — apparently into the bush, though close 

 examination failed to reveal its hiding-place ; often, however, 

 we again heard it sweetly warbling, perhaps a hundred yards 

 away in the direction from which we had come. This con- 

 cealed, circuitous flight is characteristic of the species. 



^'' April 2. — Eained throughout the night; this morning the 

 air is fresh and balmy ; clouds are lowering about the bases of 

 the mountains, concealing them from view. The air is vocal 

 with the music of the spring birds, singing with vigor and 

 joyousness. The Meadow Larks are singing throughout the 



