42 LAND-BIRDS. 



n. MIMUS. 



A. POLTGLOTTtJS. MocJsing-bird. A very rare or almost 

 accidental summer visitor to southern New England.* 



a. 9-10 inches long. Above, rather light ashy gray. Be- 

 neath, white. Wing3 and tail dark, with conspicuous white 

 patches. 



6. The nest is built near the ground, often in a conspicu- 

 ous situation. Audubon describes it as " coarsely constructed 

 on the outside, being there composed of dried sticks of 

 briars, withered leaves of trees, and grasses, mixed with wool. 

 Internally it is finished with fibrous roots disposed in a cir- 

 cular form, but carelessly arranged." An egg before me 

 measures 1.00 X .75 of an inch, and is of a very light dull 

 blue, rather coarsely spotted with lilac and rather faint pur- 

 plish or reddish umber. 



c. So many Mocking-birds have recently been captured 

 in New England, and Massachusetts itself, that they cannot 

 longer be well considered escaped cage-birds. They must 

 therefore be ranked here as very rare summer residents. Since, 

 however, their presence is almost exceptional, since their hab- 

 its are much like those of the common Catbird, since their 

 powers of mimicry and song are well known, and finally, since 

 I am personally unacquainted with their natural mode of life, 

 I have thought it best not to attempt their biography in this 

 volume. For an enthusiastic and splendid description, I refer 

 my readers to the second volume of Wilson's " Ornithology," 



(GALEOSCOPTES.) 



J5. CAEOLiNENSis. Catbird. A common summer resi- 

 dent, t 



a. 8|— 9 inches long. Slate-colored. Crown and tail, 

 black. Under taU-coverts, chestnut red. 



h. The nest of the Catbird, which in Massachusetts is 

 usually finished in the last week of May, is generally placed 



• A local and very uncommon l)nt t An abundant summer resident, save 



probably quite re^ar summer resident in the more northern or mountainous 



of southern New England, seen often- parts of New England, where it is 



est on or near the coast. One or two generally unconmion, and in places 



specimens have been taken in Massa- altogether wanting, — W> B. 

 chnsetts in winter. — W. B. 



