i82 BIRDS OF THE PUBLIC GARDEN 



weeks. The earliest arrival of a Catbird 

 was in 1906, on April 30, one bird. Several 

 seasons their appearance has been delayed 

 to the middle of May, May 12 to 15 ; both 

 in 1907 and 1908 it was upon May 12. In 

 1905, and again in 1907 and 1908, the 

 visitants were comparatively abundant. 

 Probably twenty individuals in the first 

 two named years and sixteen in the last 

 year paid the Garden a visit, some remain- 

 ing several days. Thirteen birds were re- 

 corded on May 19, 1907, and nine were 

 seen on May 12, 1908. Usually not more 

 than four or five are present at the same 

 time. 



Catbirds are late in getting away, May 

 23 to 25 usually marking their disappear- 

 ance; in 1907 one bird remained to May 

 28, and in 1908 a bird in song to May 26. 

 Occasionally only has the song been heard. 

 Usually the visitors are silent, the call 

 seldom having been heard. Following its 

 bent for hiding-places, the Catbird seeks 

 the screen which the shrubs growing close 

 to the ground or the beds of rhododen- 



