RARER BIRDS OF AMES REGION 
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Mockingbird 
( Mimus polyglottos polyglottos ) 
The writer has never observed the mockingbird at Ames and 
is inclined to doubt its occurrence there. However, Professor 
Guthrie takes a different view. He writes: “I believe we have 
an undoubtedly accurate record of a mockingbird west of campus. 
Mrs. Battell observer. It fed at her station under observation 
several days.” 
Red-breasted Nuthatch 
( Sitta canadensis ) 
A very careful study of the nuthatches at Ames for a period of 
four years failed to reveal a single good record for the red- 
breast. Nuthatches were abundant at the feeding station main- 
tained about a rod in front of the dining-room window of the 
writer’s home at the corporation limits of west Ames. All of 
these and all others observed at Ames were S. carolinensis. Pro- 
fessor Scullen, shortly before he left Ames, told the writer that 
he had never obtained a good record for the red-breasted nut- 
hatch here.” Professor Guthrie writes, “I have never yet seen 
a red-breasted nuthatch here.” 
Tufted Titmouse 
( Baeolophus bicolor) 
I have never seen a tufted titmouse in the vicinity of Ames 
and feel sure that in past years it was either absent from that 
region or occurred there only as a straggler. Professor Guthrie 
informs me that it is now reported as occuring there, and that he 
saw small flocks of them in the spring of 1921. This is most 
welcome news, and gives evidence again of positive results fol- 
lowing a campaign of bird protection. Formerly the titmouse 
was absent from most of eastern Jowa. Dr. Bartsch of the 
United States National Museum informs me that for many 
years the titmouse did not occur at Iowa City, but at present 
occurs there in some numbers. 
U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C. 
Formerly Zoology Dept., Iowa State College. 
