THE CAT-BIRD. 173 



DESCRIPTION. 



Third quill longest, first shorter than sixth; prevailing color dark plumbeous, 

 more ashy beneath ; crown and nape dark sooty-brown ; wings dark-brown, edged 

 with plumbeous; tail greenish-black, the lateral feathers obscurely tipped with 

 plumbeous; the under tail coverts dark -brownish chestnut; female smaller. 



Length, eight and eighty-five one-hundredths inches; wing, three and sixty-five 

 one-hundredths ; tail, four ; tarsus, one and five one-hundredths inch. 



This very common and well-known species arrives in 

 New England about the first week in May, in Maine, 

 perhaps about the 15th of that month. It is distributed 

 abundantly throughout these States, and its habits are so 

 well known that a description here is hardly necessary. 

 During the mating season, and indeed through the greater 

 part of the summer, the song of the male is heard in the 

 woods, pastures, and gardens at early morning, and some- 

 times through the day ; and, although most persons describe 

 it as being harsh and uncouth, it is really very pleasing and 

 melodious. It is a sort of medley, like that of the Brown 

 Thrush, but not near so loud : the bird usually perches on 

 a low tree, where, standing nearly erect, his wings slightly 

 expanded, and his tail spread beneath him, he pours forth 

 his notes sometimes for half an hour at a time. In addition 

 to this song, he, in common with the female, has a plaintive 

 note almost exactly like the mewing of a cat; and the spe- 

 cific name of felivox, given it by some authors, is much 

 more descriptive and appropriate than that of Carolinensis, 

 which is neither descriptive nor proper. 



The alarm-note is a rattling cry, like the sound of quick 

 breaking of several strong sticks : it is perhaps well ex- 

 pressed by the syllables trat-tat-tat-tat, uttered very quickly. 

 I have noticed that this, bird, as do many others, prefers the 

 neighborhood of thickly settled districts, even a home in 

 their midst, to others of a wilder character ; and, when 

 travelling through the deep forests, I have invariably found, 

 that, when these birds became abundant, a settlement was 

 near. 



Soon after mating, the birds build : this is from about the 



