THRASHERS, WRENS, ETC. 379 



her nest is discovered, she exhibits so much distress that one sympa- 

 thetic to bird griefs has no heart to pursue investigations. 



The Catbird* is generous and helpful to others of his kind in trouble 

 of any sort, feeding and caring for deserted or orphaned young ones 

 of any species, and always ready to aid distracted parents in the de- 

 fense of their home and little ones. 



He is of a lively and restless temperament, entirely lacking the 

 serene repose of his near relatives, the Thrashes. He is always toss- 

 ing upward or spreading his tail, jerking his lithe body about, now 

 crouching like a cat ready to spring, then straightening himself up 

 very tall; one moment puffing his feathers out till he looks like a 

 ball, and the next holding them closely against his body. PJe is very 

 playful, full of droll pranks and quaint performances. I know of 

 no bird better worth cherishing and cultivating than the Catbird. 



Olive Thorne Miller. 



705. Harporhynchus rufas (Linn.). Brown Thrasher; Brown 

 Thrush. (See Fig. 55, a.) Ad. — Upper parts, wings, and tail rufous; wing- 

 coverts tipped with whitish ; under parts white, heavily streaked with black, 

 except on the throat and middle of the belly. L., 11-42 ; W., 4-06 ; T., 5-03 ; 

 B., -96. 



Range. — Eastern North America; bi-eeds from the Gulf States to Mani- 

 toba, Maine, and Montreal : winters from Virginia southward. 



Washington, very common S. R., Apl. 5 to Oct. 15 ; occasionally winters. 

 Sing Sing, common S. E., Apl. 22 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, very common S. R., 

 Apl. 25 to Oct. 15. 



Nest^ of twigs, coarse rootlets, and leaves, lined with liner rootlets, in 

 bushes, thickets, or on the ground. Eggs., three to six, bluish white or grayish 

 white, thickly, evenly, and minutely speckled with cinnamon- or rufous- 

 brown, 1-08 X -80. 



Hedgerows, shrubbery about the borders of woods, scrubby growth, 

 or thickets in dry fields, are alike frequented by the Thrasher. Gen- 

 erally speaking he is an inhabitant of the undergrowth, where he passes 

 much time on the ground foraging among the fallen leaves. He is an 

 active, suspicious bird, who does not like to be watched, and expresses 

 his annoyance with an unpleasant kissing note or sharply whistled 

 wlieeu. 



Like many thicket-haunting birds, who ordinarily shun observa- 

 tion, he seeks an exposed position when singing. Morning and even- 

 ing he mounts to a favorite perch— generally in the upper branches of 

 a tree— and deliberately gives his entire attention to his song. This 

 is repeated many times, the bird singing almost continuously for an 

 extended interval. He is a finished musician, and, although his reper- 

 toire is limited to one air, he rivals the Mockingbird in the richness 

 of his tones and execution. I never listen to the Thrasher's song with- 



