NATURAL HISTORY. 231 



Some to the holly hedge 

 Nestling repair, and to the thicket some ; 

 Some t > the rude protection of the thorn 

 Commit their feeble offspring." THOMSON. 



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694. Why is the cat-bird so named? 



From its voice, which closely resembles at times the mewing 

 of a young cat. 



695. Wilson, the American ornithologist, says : " In spring and summer, on 

 approaching thickets, or brambles, the first salutation you receive is from the cat- 

 bird ; and a stranger unacquainted with its note would instantly conclude that some 

 vagrant orphan kitten had got bewildered among the briars, and wanted assistance ; so 

 exactly does the call of the bird resemble the voice of that animal." Other circum- 

 stances lend a claim to the title. The cat-bird is more familiar with man than any 

 other of the passerine order : building its nest in gardens, and courting the 

 familiarity of its owner, whom he salutes as he approaches. 



696. Why is the tailor-bird so named ? 



From a remarkable habit of sewing leaves together 

 with threads or veg3table fibres in the construction 

 of its nest. 



697. When the tailor-bird has selected a branch for the site of its 

 nest, it procures a dead leaf, which it sews on to one still pendent 

 tad Hving ; thus a pocket or bag is made, within which its nest is 

 arranged. The thread used by the tailor-bird has been sometimes 

 found actually knotted at the end. Colonel Sykes has described 

 the nest of an Indian variety of this bird with great minutenesjj 

 He states that the nest thus secured is safe from the depredations 

 of reptiles and monkeys. 



698. Why does the wren make several nests, and then leave 

 them when nearly finished, completing and using only one ? 



It has been supposed by some that these are the work of the 

 male bird during the incubation of the female, who labours thus 

 for the sake of occupation. 



Other naturalists conjecture that these are deceptive nests, 

 calculated to lead to the supposition that the birds have 

 accomplished their task and retired ; and, therefore, that furthel 

 search is useless. 



