CATBIRD. 389 



GENUS GALEOSCOPTES CABANIS. 



GALEOSCOPTES CAROLINENSIS (LINN.). 



295. Catbird. (704) 



Wings, but little shorter than tail; dark slate color, somewhat lighter 

 below; crown of head and tail, black; under tail coverts, dark chestnut. 

 Length, 8-9; wing, 3f ; tail, 4. 



HAB. Eastern United States and British Provinces, west to and including 

 the Rocky Mountains, occasional on the Pacific coast. Winters in the Southern 

 States, Cuba and Middle America to Panama. Accidental in Europe. 



Nest, in a shrubbery or thicket, a few feet above the ground, composed of 

 twigs, leaves, bark, rootlets, bits of twine or rags. 



Eggs, four or five, dark bluish-green. 



A very common summer resident in Southern Ontario is the 

 Catbird ; and in the North-West it is said by Prof. Macoun to be 

 common wherever there are bushes. This is a bird well entitled to 

 our protection ; but, unfortunately, it is the subject of an ignorant 

 prejudice, which leads to its being persecuted, especially by boys, 

 who would throw a stone at a Catbird with much the same feeling 

 that they would at a cat. Perhaps one of his most familiar notes 

 may have originated the prejudice, but outside of this, it should be 

 remembered that he ranks high as a songster, coming next in that 

 respect to the Mockingbird. He is one of the first to begin in the 

 morning, and delivers his message with so much sprightliness and 

 vivacity that we are always pleased to hear him. 



In the garden he is one of our best friends, destroying an innu- 

 merable number of injurious insects, but we seldom think, when 

 enjoying our luxuriant crop of cherries or raspberries, that we are 

 largely indebted for such results to the much despised Catbird. 



This species is common throughout Manitoba and the North- West, 

 and was noticed by Dr. Coues as a summer resident in the Red 

 River region and west along the boundary to Turtle Mountain. 



It is a most unfortunate thing for the Catbird that he ever 

 acquired the habit of imitating the cat-call, for it is that alone 

 which has cast a shade over all his accomplishments, and brought 

 upon him the derision and contempt with which he is so often 

 regarded. 



That it is an acquired habit I can well believe, for it is noticed 

 at once to be entirely out of place in his song; but he belongs to 

 the family of Mockers, and more than likely in ages past some mis- 



