Catbird. 183 



I knew it to be in the immediate vicinity of the nest of 

 another species — in fact, when it was in the same bush 

 tenanted by a weaker neighbor — but I have never been 

 able to detect it in any cannibalistic operations. Locality 

 may cause it to vary its habits in this matter, as it 

 frequently causes the habits of birds to vary in other par- 

 ticulars. I am willing to rest the case upon the evidence 

 of so accurate an observer as Mr. Burroughs. The bird 

 has a suspicious manner at best, and its conduct upon 

 favorable occasions should be carefully watched. 



As the catbird is tardy in appearing among us in the 

 spring migration, so it is hasty in taking its departure in 

 the fall, it being seen here rarely after the second week in 

 October. In 1893 it was last noted here on October 12th. 

 During the last month of its sojourn it skulks with silent 

 wariness and evident laziness closely among the shrub- 

 bery in the vicinity of its food, which consists at this 

 season largely of wild grapes, " pokeberries," and berries 

 of the Virginia creeper. In the late season it is active 

 only in the early and late hours of the day. In fact, 

 most birds can be observed toward the close of the season 

 only at their feeding grounds and in the early morning. 

 Two hours of observation immediately after dawn are 

 more productive to the student of bird-life in the fall than 

 all the other hours of the day. 



On the first day of August a pair of catbirds led their 

 brood from a nest in the shrubbery in my garden. My 

 attention was called to the family by the hungry, im- 

 patient chirps of the younglings, and the low, gentle 

 "quoot" of the parents. Tlicy made their regular head- 

 quarters in two adjacent plum trees, and I admired the 

 evident wisdom of the elders in thus choosing quarters so 

 advantageous. The trees were flanked on one side by an 

 arbor heavily laden with grapes, and on another by a 

 patch of elderberry bushes, whose long, slender branches 

 were drooping with the weight of the black-red clusters. 

 In another direction was a garden somewhat neglected, 

 from which the birds could draw the supplies they de- 

 sired; while the remaining side was inclosed by a tight 

 fence, against which both parents and offspring could sit 

 and preen their feathers afte^' their bath in the margin of 



