CAT-BIRD. 337 



Song Sparrow, as given in the autumn ; and, from his 

 love of imitation on other occasions, I am inclined to be- 

 lieve that he possesses no original note of his own, but 

 acquires and modulates the songs of other birds. Like 

 the Robin, he is exceedingly fond of washing, and dash- 

 es about in the water till every feather appears drench- 

 ed ; he also, at times, basks in the gravel, in fine weather. 

 His food, in confinement, is almost every thing vegetable, 

 except unbruised seeds ; as bread, fine pastry, cakes, 

 scalded corn-meal, fruits, particularly those which are 

 juicy, and now and then insects and minced flesh. 



The length of this species is about 9 inches. Above deep slate- 

 color, lightest on the edges of the primaries, and also considerably 

 paler below. The under tail-coverts reddish chestnut. Tail round- 

 ed. Upper part of the head, legs, and bill, black. — It occurs rarely 

 pye-bald, with the head and back white, being nearly an albino. 

 In a caged bird, I have also observed one or two of the tail-feathers 

 and primaries partly white on their inner webs. — In the youno-^ 

 before the first moult, the rufous vent is paler, and the black of the 

 head indistinct. 



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