236 LAWSON'S HISTORY 



mon color. This bird sings excellently well, but 

 is not so common amongst us as the former. 



The cat bird, so named because it makes a noise 

 exactly like young cats. They have a blackish 

 head and an ash colored body, and have no other 

 note that I know of. They are no biger than a 

 lark, yet will fight a crow or any other great 

 bird. 



The cuckoo of Carolina may not properly be so 

 called, because she never uses that cry ; yet she is 

 of the same bigness and feather, and sucks the 

 small birds' eggs, as the English cuckoo does. 



The blue bird is the exact bigness of a robin 

 red-breast. The cock has the same colored breast 

 as the robin has, and his back all the other parts 

 of him, are of as fine a blue, as can possibly be 

 seen in any thing in the world. lie has a cry and 

 a whistle. They hide themselves all the winter. 



Bulfinches in America differ something from 

 those in Europe in their feathers, though not in 

 their bigness. I never knew any one tame, 

 therefore know not what they might be brought 

 to. 



The nightingales are different in plumes from 

 those in Europe. They always frequent the low 

 groves ^where they sing very prettily all night. 



Hedge sparrows are here, though few hedges. 

 They differ scarce any thing in plume or bigness, 

 only I never heard this whistle as the English one 

 does, especially after rain. 



