CAT-BIRD. 129 



On attentively listening for some time to him one can perceive 

 considerable variety in his performance, in which he seems to 

 introduce all the odd sounds and quaint passages he has been 

 able to collect. Upon the whole, though we cannot arrange him 

 with the grand leaders of our vernal choristers, he well merits 

 a place among the most agreeable general performers. 



This bird, as has been before observed, is very numerous in 

 summer, in the middle states. Scarcely a thicket in the country 

 is without its Cat-birds; and were they to fly in flocks, like 

 many other birds, they would darken the air with their num- 

 bers. But their migrations are seldom observed, owing to their 

 gradual progress and recession, in spring and autumn, to and 

 from their breeding places. They enter Georgia late in Februa- 

 ry; and reach New England about the beginning of May. In 

 their migrations they keep pace with the progress of agri- 

 culture; and the first settlers in many parts of the Gennessee 

 country have told me, that it was several years after they re- 

 moved there before the Cat-bird made his appearance among 

 them. With all these amiable qualities to recommend him few 

 people in the country respect the Cat-bird. On the contrary, it 

 is generally the object of dislike; and the boys of the United 

 States entertain the same prejudice and contempt for this bird, 

 its nest and young, as those of Britain do for the Yellow ham- 

 mer and its nest, eggs and young. I am at a loss to account for 

 this cruel prejudice. Even those by whom it is entertained, can 

 scarcely tell you why, only they " hate Cat-birds;" as some 

 persons tell you they hate Frenchmen, they hate Dutchmen, 

 &c. expressions that bespeak their own narrowness of under- 

 standing, and want of liberality. Yet, after ruminating over in 

 my own mind all the probable causes, I think 1 have at last hit 

 on some of them; the principal of which seems to me to be a 

 certain similarity of taste, and clashing of interest, between the 

 Cat-bird and the farmer. The Cat-bird is fond of large ripe gar- 

 den strawberries; so is the farmer, for the good price they bring 

 in market. The Cat-bird loves the best and richest early cher- 

 ries; so does the farmer, for they are sometimes the most pro- 



VOL. II. R 



