The Birds' Calendar 



time in the thick undergrowth, and has a scared 

 and hunted look when he comes out into the 

 open. It is no extenuation of his manners to 

 say that his voice is a very superior one, often 

 showing that peculiar metallic quality conspicu- 

 ous in the thrushes, of whom he is a distant 

 relative ; but his song is only a characterless 

 medley, Avith an occasional fine strain among 

 many inferior ones. Once in a great while he 

 perches high and openly in a tree, where he 

 sings so honestly and nobly that one cannot 

 fail to admire the song, and to regret his evil 

 thoughts concerning th2 singer. But as he 

 chuckles away to himself deep in the bushes, 

 in his wonted manner, the former distrust of 

 him returns, and it is .easy to imagine that he 

 is at his old tricks of plotting some evil device. 

 His repellent plumage, skulking manner, and 

 disagreeable feline notes are quite sufficient to 

 account for the popular estimate of this bird, 

 even without more radical grounds for disap- 

 proval. The thrasher has the same stealthy 

 demeanor, and perhaps escapes the same con- 

 demnation only by his more attractive i)lu- 

 mage. (Since writing the foregoing, I have 

 learned that the catbird docs feloniously enter 

 the nests of other species, and destroys their 



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