384 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



Arc. 



THE CAT BIRD. 



It is altogether too common among our people 

 to complain of the hardness and poverty of the 

 soil, of the rigor of the climate, shortness of the 

 spring and east winds. Another class, who are 

 tarry-at-home travellers, and who sit slippered 

 and cushioned in easy chairs, and read of Italian 

 skies and tropical birds, declare that no brilliant 

 sunsets adorn our western skies, and that we have 

 no birds of beautiful plumage or of exquisite 

 song. The Bob-o-link is but a vulgar grub-catch- 

 er, and the Baltimore Oriole, or Golden Robin, 

 but an arrant cherry-stealer, and fit only to be 

 shot by roving boys. 



These remarks were suggested by observing a 

 rare bird upon one of our cherry trees on the 

 morning of the eighth of July. He was nearly 



the size of the Golden Robin, bill robust, like the 

 Buntings or Grosbeaks, wings jet black, and the 

 breast and back a rich carmine. The color of the 

 bill and ihapc of the tail we could not see sufB- 

 ciently to describe. 



On reference to Wilson's Ornithology, we are 

 convinced that this beautiful bird is the Scarlet 

 Tanager, and the first we have ever seen, though 

 we are told by the neighbors that he is occasion- 

 ally seen in the woods in this vicinity. Wilson 

 says, "With the shy, unsocial, and suspicious hab- 

 its of his gaudy fraternity, he takes up his abode 

 in the deepest recess of the forest, where timidly 

 flitting fr(jm observation, he darts from tree to tree 

 like a flashing meteor. Agaudy sylph, conscious of 

 his brilliancy and the exposure to which it sub- 

 jects him, he seems to avoid remark, and is only 

 solicitous to be with his humble mate, and hid 

 from all besides. He therefore rarely approaches 

 the habitations of men, unless, perhaps, the 

 skirts of the orchard, where he sometimes, howev- 



er, builds his nest, and takes a taste of the early 

 and inviting, though forbidden cherries." 



Seeing this beautiful and familiar bird, and 

 speaking of singing birds, leads us very naturally 

 to another of our accomplished singers, the live- 

 ly and imitative Cat Bird, second only to the 

 Mocking Bird himself. For the benefit of the 

 grumblers, those to whom all is barren and un- 

 lovely in our climate and skies, forests and fields, 

 we give Wilson's grapliic and just account of the 

 Cat Bird. The engraving is a capital illustra- 

 tion. 



This quaint and familiar songster passes the 

 winter in the Southern extremities of the United 

 States and along the coast of Mexico, from 

 whence, as early as February, they arrive in 

 Georgia. About the middle of April they are just 

 seen in Pennsylvania, and at length 

 leisurely approach this part of New 

 England, by the close of the first or 

 beginning of the second week in May. 

 The Cat Bird often tunes his cheer- 

 ful song before the break of day, hop- 

 ping from bush to bush, with great 

 agility, after his insect prey, while 

 yet scarcely distinguishable amidst 

 the dusky shadows of the dawn. The 

 notes of different individuals vary 

 considerably, so that sometimes his 

 song, in sweetness and compass, is 

 scarcely at all inferior to that of the 

 Ferruginous Thrush. A quaintness, 

 however, prevails in all his efibrts, 

 and his song is frequently made up 

 of short and blended imitations of 

 other birds, given, however, with 

 great emphasis, melody, and variety 

 of tone; and like the Nightingale, 

 invading the hours of repose in the 

 late twilight of a summer's evening. 



When scarce another note is heard, but the 

 hum of the drowsy beetle, his music attains its 

 full effect, and often rises and falls with all the 

 swell and studied cadence of finished harmony. 

 During the heat of the day, or late in the morn- 

 ing, the variety of the song declines, or he pur- 

 sues his employment in silence and retirement. 



One of the most remarkable propensities of the 

 Cat Bird, and to which it owes its name, is the un- 

 pleasant, loud, and grating cat-like mew, which it 

 often utters, on being approached or offended. As 

 the irritation increases, this note becomes more 

 hoarse, reiterated and vehement ; and sometimes 

 this petulance and anger are carried so far, as to 

 persecute every intruder who approaches the 

 premises. 



This common and abundant species begins to 

 construct its nest some time in the month of May. 

 The situation in which he delights to dwell, is 

 commonly a dark thicket in the woods, or close 



