CAT-BIKD. 



MIMUS CAEOLINENSIS. 



THIS very common bird sings early in the morning 

 and a good part of the day. He has not a strong 

 voice, nor has he really a tune of his own. With some- 

 thing of the style of the brown thrush, he is not his 

 equal in song. The cat-bird is generally considered a 

 mocking-bird. He does make use of the notes of different 

 birds, delivering them in snatchy, disconnected fashion; 

 and his performance, on the whole, is very interesting, 

 given, as it is, in a lively manner, with an occasional tone 

 truly sweet and musical. Much of his singing, how- 

 ever, is mere twitter, often little more than a succession 

 of squeaks, too antic to be put on paper. 



It is easy to trace in the cat-bird's singing the notes of 

 the red-eyed vireo, the brown thrasher, the bluebird, the 

 robin and the yellow-breasted chat. 



