Thrashers and x^^rens 169 



this way; later the young will be seen skulking 

 about the thick tangle, rather nervous at your 

 approach. 



He is a sleek, well groomed bird, giving one 

 the impression of bathing frequently and spend- 

 ing much time in arranging his attractive dress. 

 Attractive it is, although just a plain slate color, 

 trimmed with black on the crown and tail. 

 The under parts are slaty ^ray and under the 

 tail there is a chestnut patch. The long tail, 

 usually held at a smart angle, he makes good 

 use of, flourishing it to express his varying 

 emotions much as a speaker does his arms, or a 

 lady her fan. They are tame birds, even in- 

 clined to be friendly, and a little encourage- 

 ment will bring them close about the house, 

 even to the veranda, for tempting morsels. 



In my experience. Catbirds are associated 

 with the river banks, where I find several nests 

 each season. The nest, set in thick bushes, is 

 made of rather coarse twigs, grass and leaves, 

 well interwoven. The eggs, five or six in num- 

 ber, are a beautiful bluish green in color. The 

 parents display a care and solicitude for their 

 young that is not exceeded in any of our birds. 

 Perhaps the alarm felt at the approach of danger 

 is in proportion to the intensity of their parental 

 love; hence the emphasis of their squalling 

 notes. They nest as far north as southern Can- 

 ada and winter from Florida southward. They 

 arrive toward the end of April. 



Brown Thrasher. The BrowTi Thrasher, or 

 Brown Thrush, as he is more commonly but 

 erroneously called, is quite the opposite to the 



