THE CATBIRD 



of our small dog at a catbird that she heard in the shrub- 

 bery one day. It was difficult to convince her that one of 

 her hated foes, a cat, was not the author of the sound that 

 always infuriated her. 



Though catbirds possess little claim to beauty, they 

 seem to be vain and appear always to be doing something 

 to attract attention. They are in constant motion — twitch- 

 ing their tails, jerking their bodies, and making their 

 gentle, inane "cat-calls." 



I once had an amusing experience with a catbird. I 

 had seated myself near a thicket in which a Maryland 

 Yellow-throat was flitting. Hoping to beguile him from 

 the shrubbery and thus afford myself a better view of him, 

 I gave his song repeatedly — "Witch-a-tee-o, witch-a-tee-o." 

 A catbird on the fence-rail behind the thicket was flirting 

 his tail, looking knowingly at me, and giving his call re- 

 peatedly. I paid no attention to him, and continued to 

 say "Witch-a-tee-o." It was not long before he, too, war- 

 bled "Witch-a-tee-o." Whether he did it from his love of 

 mimicry or from a desire to be noticed, I shall never know, 

 but his bearing was, ^'Now will you pay some attention 

 to me.'" 



Catbirds are in disfavor among the growers of cherries 

 and berries, both wild and cultivated; they make havoc in 

 strawberry-beds. Mr. Forbush reports that their depre- 

 dations vary in different localities. He claims that in 

 spite of their fruit-stealing propensities they deserve pro- 

 tection in Massachusetts, because they devour locusts, can- 

 kerworms, and the caterpillars of various moths, most im- 

 portant being those of the gypsy and brown-tail moths. 



In the Biological Survey Bulletin "Fifty Common Birds 

 of Farm and Orchard" (No. 513) the following statements 



[221] 



