236 lawson's history 



mon color. This bird sings excellently well, but 

 is not so common amongst us as tlie former. 



The cat bird, so named because it makes a noise 

 exactly like youug cats. They have a blackish 

 head and an ash colored body, and have no other 

 note that I know of. They are no biger than a 

 lark, yet will fight a crow or any other great 

 bird. 



The cuckoo of Carolina may not properly be so 

 called, because she never uses that cry ; yet she is 

 of the same bigness and feather, and sucks the 

 small birds' eggs, as the English cuckoo does. 



The blue bird is the exact bigness of a robin 

 red-breast. The cock has the same colored breast 

 as the robin has, and his back all the other parts 

 of him, are of as fine a blue, as can possibly be 

 seen in any thing in the world. He has a* cry and 

 a whistle. They bide themselves all the winter. 



Bulfinches in America differ something from 

 those in Europe in their feathers, though not in 

 their bigness. I never knew any one tame, 

 therefore know not what they might be brought 

 to. 



The nightingales are difterent in plumes from 

 those in Europe. They always frequent the low 

 groves where they sing very prettily all night. 



Hedge sparrows are here, though few hedges. 

 They difier scarce any thing in plume or bigness, 

 only I never heard this whistle as the English one 

 does, especially after rain. ^ 



