126 BIRDS OF THE PASTURE AND FOREST. 



I repeat that I have not any proof, from my own obser- 

 vation, that the Catbird is a mocker. Dr. Brewer says, 

 on the other hand, that it is a very good imitator of sim- 

 ple notes and strains. He has heard it give excellent 

 imitations of the whistling of the Quail, the clucking of a 

 Hen, the notes of the Pewee, and those of the Ground- 

 Robin, repeating them with such exactness as to deceive 

 the birds that were imitated. He has known the Catbird 

 call off a brood of young chickens, to the great annoy- 

 ance of the old hen. 



The Catbird is said to be very amusing when confined 

 in a cage. A former neighbor of mine, who has reared 

 many birds of this species in a cage, informed me that 

 when tamed they sing better than in their native woods. 

 He taught them not only to imitate the notes of other 

 birds, but to sing tunes. This is an important fact ; but 

 we must confess that the wild birds and the wild-flowers 

 are more interesting in their native haunts than in avi- 

 aries or conservatories. Though I have no sensibility 

 that would prevent my depriving a bird of its freedom by 

 placing it in a comfortable prison, where it would suffer 

 neither in mind nor body, I should not keep one in a 

 cage for my own amusement, caring but little to watch 

 its ways except in a state of freedom. 



The mewing note of the Catbird, from which his name 

 was derived, has been the occasion of many misfortunes 

 to his species, causing them to share that contempt which 

 is so generally felt towards the feline race ; and that con- 

 tempt has been followed by persecution. The Catbird 

 has always been proscribed by the New England farmers, 

 who from the first settlement of the country have enter- 

 tained a prejudice against the most useful of our birds, 

 which are also the most mischievous. Even the Robin has 

 been frequently in danger of proscription. The horticul- 

 turists, who seern to consider their cherries and strawber- 



