BIRDS OF KANSAS 53 



is an old orchard, that slopes down to the edge of Mill 

 Kiver. Here, he is welcomed every year by his college 

 girl friends; and in the open seclusion of an apple tree, 

 proceeds to build his nest, and raise his little family, sing- 

 ing through it all with keen enjoyment of the warm sun- 

 shine and its own company. 



" To the trio the Catbird is at once the most interesting 

 and most exasperating of birds. Like some people, he 

 seems to give up his time to the pleasure of hearing him- 

 self talk. A first cousin of the Mockingbird whom he 

 resembles in person much more than in voice perhaps the 

 relationship accounts for his overweening confidence in 

 his vocal powers. As a matter of fact his jerky utterance 

 is so harsh that it has been aptly termed asthmatic. 



" The Catbird is unmistakably a Bohemian. He is ex- 

 quisitely formed, and has a beautiful slate gray coat, set 

 off by his black head and tail. By nature he is peculiarly 

 graceful, and, when he chooses, can pass for the most pol- 

 ished of the Philistine aristocracy. But he cares nothing 

 for all this. With lazy self-indulgence, he sits by the hour 

 with relaxed muscles, and listless, drooping wings and tail. 

 If he were a man, you feel confident that he would sit in 

 shirt sleeves at home and go on the st'reet without *a collar. 



" And his occupation ? His cousin is an artist, but 

 he is he a wag as well as a caricaturist, or is he in 

 sober earnest when he tries to mimic the inimitable Wil- 

 son's Thrush ? If a wag, he is a success, for he deceives 

 the unguarded into believing him a Kobin, a cat, and 

 ' a bird new to science.' How he must chuckle over the 

 enthusiasm which hails his various notes, and the bewil- 

 derment and chagrin that come to the diligent observer 

 who finally catches a glimpse of the garrulous mimic! 



