The Phainopepla 
The Western Mockingbird not only plagiarizes the Phainopepla’s 
notes most outrageously, but it seems to take a special delight in perse¬ 
cuting these timorous little mortals. Once, in winter, I heard the round 
perp -note of a Phainopepla sounding from a clump of mistletoe, in a tall 
cottonwood at Potholes. Pie had scarcely uttered his note three times 
when he was set upon and ousted by some enemy which I could not plainly 
see. Suspecting a Sharp-shin, I raised my gun and fired at the first show 
of form. I had intended to lay out the miscreant with a charge of 8’s; 
but the wrong hammer struck, and from out the harmless shower of “dust” 
emerged a well-rebuked Mockingbird. 
The flight of the Phainopepla, though oftenest direct, is both languid 
and ostentatious, so that one catches distinct views of the white blotch 
(the JtEidog) on the wing of the male, or the corresponding pale area on 
that of the female. In go¬ 
ing any considerable dis¬ 
tance, the birds rise to sev¬ 
eral times the height of the 
tallest vegetation, so as to 
obtain an unobstructed 
view; and upon reaching 
the intended destination, 
they dive abruptly down, 
with much display of put¬ 
ting on brakes by means of 
the ample tail. Now and 
then some smart Aleck will 
play drunk, and go reel¬ 
ing about hither and 
thither in the air in the 
most eccentric fashion. 
But on other occasions 
apparent eccentricity of 
flight may be explained 
by the presence of my¬ 
riads of insects. The 
Phaino will launch out 
on fluttering wings, and 
instead of returning to its 
perch after each capture, 
Taken in the Ojai ... . . . ... . 
photo by d. r. Dickey will maintain itseli in mid- 
“a shining black beauty” air for several minutes at a 
p“oto^“he“s SE prSe™ce time, attacking each insect 
