_Turdus polyglottus_, LINN. Syst. Nat. 10th ed. 1758, 169; 12th ed.
1766, 293.—_Mimus polyglottus_, BOIE, Isis, 1826, 972.—SCLATER,
P. Z. S. 1856, 212.—IB. 1859, 340.—IB. Catal. 1861, 8, no.
51.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 344.—IB. Rev. 48.—SAMUELS,
167.—COOPER, Birds Cal. 1, 21.—GUNDLACH, Repertorio, 1865, 230
(Cuba).—DRESSER, Ibis, 1865, 230.—COUES, Pr. A. N. Sc. 1866, 65
(Arizona).—_? Orpheus leucopterus_, VIGORS, Zoöl. Beechey, 1839.
Figures: WILSON, Am. Orn. II, 1810, pl. x, fig. 1.—AUD. Orn. Biog.
I, 1831, pl. xxi.—IB. Birds Amer. II, 1841, pl. 137.
SP. CHAR. Third and fourth quills longest; second about equal to
eighth; the first half or more than half the second. Tail considerably
graduated. Above ashy brown, the feathers very obsoletely darker
centrally, and towards the light plumbeous downy basal portion
(scarcely appreciable, except when the feathers are lifted). The under
parts are white, with a faint brownish tinge, except on the chin, and
with a shade of ash across the breast. There is a pale superciliary
stripe, but the lores are dusky. The wings and tail are dark brown,
nearly black, except the lesser wing-coverts, which are like the back;
the middle and greater tipped with white, forming two bands; the basal
portion of the primaries white; most extended on the inner primaries.
The outer tail-feather is white, sometimes a little mottled; the
second is mostly white, except on the outer web and towards the base;
the third with a white spot on the end; the rest, except the middle,
very slightly or not at all tipped with white. The bill and legs are
black. Length, 9.50; wing, 4.50; tail, 5.00.
[Illustration: _Mimus polyglottus._]
_Young._ Similar, but distinctly spotted with dusky on the breast, and
obsoletely on the back.
HAB. North America, from about 40° (rare in Massachusetts, Samuels),
south to Mexico. Said to occur in Cuba.
The Mocking-Birds are closely allied, requiring careful comparison to
distinguish them. A near ally is _M. orpheus_, of Jamaica, but in this
the outer feather is white, and the 2d, 3d, and 4th tail-feathers are
marked like the 1st, 2d, and 3d of _polyglottus_, respectively.
We have examined one hundred and fourteen specimens, of the present
species, the series embracing large numbers from Florida, the Rio
Grande, Cape St. Lucas, and Mazatlan, and numerous specimens from
intermediate localities. The slight degree of variation manifested in
this immense series is really surprising; we can discover no
difference of color that does not depend on age, sex, season, or the
individual (though the variations of the latter kind are exceedingly
rare, and when noticed, very slight). Although the average of Western
specimens have slightly longer tails than Eastern, a Florida example
(No. 54,850, ♂, Enterprise, Feb. 19), has a tail as long as that of
the longest-tailed Western one (No. 8,165, Fort Yuma, Gila River,
Dec.). Specimens from Colima, Mirador, Orizaba, and Mazatlan are quite
identical with Northern ones.
HABITS. The Mocking-Bird is distributed on the Atlantic coast, from
Massachusetts to Florida, and is also found to the Pacific. On the
latter coast it exhibits certain variations in forms, but hardly
enough to separate it as a distinct species. It is by no means a
common bird in New England, but instances of its breeding as far north
as Springfield, Mass., are of constant occurrence, and a single
individual was seen by Mr. Boardman near Calais, Me. It is met with
every year, more or less frequently, on Long Island, and is more
common, but by no means abundant, in New Jersey. It is found
abundantly in every Southern State, and throughout Mexico. It has also
been taken near Grinnell, Iowa.
A warm climate, a low country, and the vicinity of the sea appear to
be most congenial to their nature. Wilson found them less numerous
west of the Alleghany than on the eastern side, in the same parallels.
Throughout the winter he met with them in the Southern States, feeding
on the berries of the red cedar, myrtle, holly, etc., with which the
swampy thickets abounded. They feed also upon winged insects, which
they are very expert in catching. In Louisiana they remain throughout
the entire year, approaching farmhouses and plantations in the winter,
and living about the gardens and outhouses. They may be frequently
seen perched upon the roofs of houses and on the chimney-tops, and are
always full of life and animation. When the weather is mild the old
males may be heard singing with as much spirit as in the spring or
summer. They are much more familiar than in the more northern States.
In Georgia they do not begin to sing until February.
The vocal powers of the Mocking-Bird exceed, both in their imitative
notes and in their natural song, those of any other species. Their
voice is full, strong, and musical, and capable of an almost endless
variation in modulation. The wild scream of the Eagle and the soft
notes of the Bluebird are repeated with exactness and with apparently
equal facility, while both in force and sweetness the Mocking-Bird
will often improve upon the original.
The song of the Mocking-Bird is not altogether imitative. His natural
notes are bold, rich, and full, and are varied almost without
limitation. They are frequently interspersed with imitations, and both
are uttered with a rapidity and emphasis that can hardly be equalled.
The Mocking-Bird readily becomes accustomed to confinement, and loses
little of the power, energy, or variety of its song, but often much of
its sweetness in a domesticated state. The mingling of unmusical
sounds, like the crowing of cocks, the cackling of hens, or the
creaking of a wheelbarrow, while they add to the variety, necessarily
detracts from the beauty of his song.
The food of the Mocking-Bird is chiefly insects, their larvæ, worms,
spiders, etc., and in the winter of berries, in great variety. They
are said to be very fond of the grape, and to be very destructive to
this fruit. Mr. G. C. Taylor (Ibis, 1862, p. 130) mentions an instance
that came to his knowledge, of a person living near St. Augustine,
Florida, who shot no less than eleven hundred Mocking-Birds in a
single season, and buried them at the roots of his grape-vines.
Several successful attempts have been made to induce the Mocking-Bird
to rear their young in a state of confinement, and it has been shown
to be, by proper management, perfectly practicable.
In Texas and Florida the Mocking-Bird nests early in March, young
birds appearing early in April. In Georgia and the Carolinas they are
two weeks later. In Pennsylvania they nest about the 10th of May, and
in New York and New England not until the second week of June. They
select various situations for the nest; solitary thorn-bushes, an
almost impenetrable thicket of brambles, an orange-tree, or a
holly-bush appear to be favorite localities. They often build near the
farm-houses, and the nest is rarely more than seven feet from the
ground. The base of the nest is usually a rudely constructed platform
of coarse sticks, often armed with formidable thorns surrounding the
nest with a barricade. The height is usually 5 inches, with a diameter
of 8. The cavity is 3 inches deep and 5 wide. Within the external
barricade is an inner nest constructed of soft fine roots.
The eggs, from four to six in number, vary in length from .94 to 1.06
inches, with a mean length of .99. Their breadth varies from .81 to
.69 of an inch, mean breadth .75. They also exhibit great variations
in the combinations of markings and tints. The ground color is usually
light greenish-blue, varying in the depth of its shade from a very
light tint to a distinct blue, with a slight greenish tinge. The
markings consist of yellowish-brown and purple, chocolate-brown,
russet, and a very dark brown.