THE AMERICAN CATBIRD. 



HE CATBIRD derives his name 

 from a fancied resemblance of 

 some of his notes to the mew 

 of the domestic cat. He is a 

 nati\e of America, and is one of the 

 most familiarly known of our famous 

 songsters. He is a true thrush, and is 

 one of the most affectionate of our 

 birds. Wilson has well described his 

 nature, as follows : 



" In passing through the woods in 

 summer I have sometimes amused 

 myself with imitating the violent 

 chirping or clucking of young birds, 

 in order to observe what different 

 species were round me; for such sounds 

 at such a season in the woods are no 

 le>s alarming to the feathered tenants 

 of the bushes than the cry of fire or 

 murder in the street is to the inhabi- 

 tants of a large city. On such occasion 

 of alarm and consternation, the Cat- 

 bird is first to make his appearance, 

 not single but sometimes half a dozen 

 at a time, flying from different quarters 

 to the spot. At this time those who 

 are disposed to play on his feelings 

 ma}' almost throw him into a fit, his 

 emotion and agitation are so great at 

 what he supposes to be the distressful 

 cries of his young. He hurries back- 

 ward and forward, with hanging wings, 

 open mouth, calling out louder and 

 faster, and actually screaming with 

 distress, until he appears hoarse with 

 his exertions. He attempts no offen- 

 sive means, but he wails, he implores, 

 in the most pathetic terms with which 

 nature has supplied him, and wiih an 

 agony of feeling which is truh' affect- 

 ing. At any other season the most 

 perfect imitations have no effect what- 

 ever on him." 



The Catbird is a courageous little 

 creature, and in defense of its young 

 it is so bold that it will contrive to 

 drive away any snake that max 

 approach its nest, snakes being its 

 special aversion. His voice is meilov; 

 and rich, and is a compound of 

 many of the gentle trills and sweet 

 undulations of our various woodland 

 choristers, delivered with apparent 

 caution, and with all the attention and 

 softness neces-ary to enable the per- 

 former to please the ear of hi."- mate. 

 Each cadence passes on without falter- 

 ing and \ou are sure to recognize the 

 song he so sweetly imitates. While 

 they are are all good sinq-ers, occa- 

 sionally there is one which excels all 

 his neighbors, as is frequently the case 

 among canaries. 



The Catbird builds in syringa 

 bushes, and other shrubs. In New 

 England he is best known as a garden 

 bird. Mabel Osgood Wright, in 

 " Birdcraft," says : " I have found it 

 nesting in all sorts of places, from an 

 alder bush, overhanging a lonely 

 brook, to a scrub apple in an open 

 field, never in deep woods, and it is 

 only in its garden home, and in the 

 hedging bushes of an adjoining field, 

 that it develops its best qualities — 

 'lets itself out,' so to speak. The 

 Catbirds in the garden are so tame 

 that they will frequently perch on the 

 edoe of the hammock in which I am 

 sitting, and when I move they only 

 hop awa\' a few feet with a little 

 flutter. The male is undoubtedly a 

 mocker, when he so desires, but lie 

 has an individual and most delightail 

 song, filled with unexpected turns and 

 bouvant melodv." 



183 



