PATAGONIAN MOCKING-BIRD_ 9 
smaller, the plumage is of a darker grey, and the 
irides are also of a darker green. It is a common 
bird, resident, lives alone or with its mate, feeds on 
insects and berries, and in its manner of flight and 
habits is like Mimus modulator. The nest is made in 
the centre of a bush of thorns and sticks, and lined 
with dry grass, cow-hair, or other soft material ; 
the eggs are four in number, bluntly pointed, and 
thickly marked with dark flesh-coloured spots. When 
the nest is approached the parent birds come close to 
the intruder, often perching within a yard of his head, 
but without uttering any sound, differing in this 
respect from M. modulator. 
The song of the Patagonian bird is in character 
like that of the northern species, the variety of its 
notes being apparently infinite ; there are, however, 
some differences worth mentioning. The singing of 
the Patagonian species is perhaps inferior, his voice 
being less powerful, while his mellow and clear notes 
are constantly mingled with shrill ones, resembling 
the cries of some of the Dendrocolaptine birds. 
While incapable of notes so loud or so harsh as those 
of the northern bird, or of changes so wild and 
sudden, he possesses an even greater variety of soft 
notes. Day after day for many months I have heard 
them singing, yet never once listened to them for 
any length of time without hearing some note or 
phrase I had never heard before. The remarks I 
have made concerning the Calandria’s mocking- 
faculties also apply to this bird : but though he does 
not actually repeat the notes and songs of other 
