378 THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC. 



renowned songsters — the Nightingale, for instance — but Dr. R. W. 

 Shufeldt, writing in Prof. Newton's Dictionary of Birds, puts it very 

 nicely when he says : " I believe, were he successfully introduced into 

 those countries where the Nightingale flourishes, that princely per- 

 former might some day wince as he was obliged to listen to his own 

 most powerful strains poured forth with all their native purity by this 

 king of feathered, mockers. ..." 



Nevertheless, it must not be supposed that every Mockingbird is a 

 mocker; there is much variation in their imitative gifts. Mr. L. M. 

 Loomis tells me of a Mockingbird he once heard singing in South 

 Carolina who imitated the notes of no less than thirty-two different 

 species of birds found in the same locality, and this during ten min- 

 utes' continuous singing ! This was a phenomenal performance, one I 

 have never heard approached, for in my experience many Mockingbirds 

 have no notes besides their own, and good mockers are exceptional. 



-f 704. Galeoscoptes carolinensis {Linn.). Catbird. (See Fig. 

 55, b.) Ad. — Crown and tail black ; unde?' tail-coverts chestnut., sometimes 

 spotted with slaty, and rarely largely slaty ; rest of the plumage slaty gray. 

 L., 8-M; W., 3-54; T., 3-65: B., -60. 



Range. — North America; breeds in the eastern United States from the 

 Gulf States to New Brunswick and northwestward to the Saskatchewan and 

 British Columbia; winters from Florida southward. 



Washington, abundant S. R., Apl. 20 to Oct.; occasionally winters. Sing 

 Sing, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Oct. 25. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 6 

 to Sept. SO. 



A'^s^, of twigs, grasses, and leaves, lined with rootlets, in thickets or 

 densely foliaged trees. Egga., three to five, rich greenish blue, -94 x -67. 



The Catbird is one of the most intelligent birds in North America. 

 He is inclined to be very friendly to man, and where he is well treated 

 and his confidence won he likes to nest near our homes, showing him- 

 self delightfully familiar, coming around the door steps, answering 

 one's calls and talk, and singing by the hour for our entertainment. 

 In the garden and orchard he is as useful as he is enchanting, for he 

 is an untiring devourer of insects, and his value in preserving our 

 fruits can hardly be overrated. In this way he earns his full share of 

 the fruit protected, and it should not be grudged to him when he pro- 

 ceeds to take it, as he surely will. 



It is not generally known that the Catbird is a charming singer, 

 for the reason, probably, that his song is rarely loud, and is preferably 

 given from the depths of the thickest shrub he can find. One more 

 often hears than sees him sing, and will miss even the hearing unless 

 quite near, and gifted with a listening ear, ever open to bird notes. 



The Catbird mother is one of the most anxious and devoted. If 



