184 Sketches of Some Common Birds. 



the reservoir across the street. The stringer of the fence 

 was a famous place for the youngsters to sun themselves. 

 Kegardless of the fact that I was an interested observer of 

 their movements, they would crouch upon the joist in 

 negligent fluffiness, or run along the joist for several feet, 

 and then turn- to retrace their path, or perhaps stop to 

 clean their plumage. In their evident pleasure in basking 

 in the sunshine and their indolent life, consisting thus 

 solely of eating, bathing, and sunning, with social con- 

 verse with their companions, I came to believe that the 

 catbird is a modern type of the voluptuous Athenian of 

 the Golden Age. All through August and early Septem- 

 ber the family remained in this chosen nursery, the 

 youngsters being reared in elegant ease, and passing their 

 time lounging on the fence, or sitting in the thick shade 

 of the foliage. There comes into my mind the hazy 

 recollection of having read from one of the English essay- 

 ists (was it the quaint Charles Lamb?) that if he were 

 blessed with a son, he would wish to rear him with the 

 understanding that be had nothing to do except leisurely 

 to acquire all the culture that circumstances might bring 

 to him. I am impelled to remark that the catbirds evi- 

 dently have the same Grecian idea of rearing their off- 

 spring. The product is the versatile, well bred loungers 

 of our dooryard bushes, perfectly indifferent concerning 

 their reception into avian society, at home wherever cir- 

 cumstances invite them — easy, elegant, Epicurean — Greeks 

 among Barbarians. 



BALTIMORE OETOLE. 



Among the well-known and splendid species which com- 

 bine to give the family Icteridce a proud position in our 

 avian fauna, none surpasses the Baltimore oriole in 

 brilliancy of plumage, richness of song, or vivacity of 

 manners. Belonging to a company of eminent vocalists, 

 the Baltimore oriole unquestionably is the leader in ex- 

 pression and power. In a group of famous architects and 

 builders, he is by far the most intelligent architect and 

 the most skillful builder. Classed in a family noted for 



