Family Troglodytidce Catbird 63 



of May, though sometimes as early as the second 

 week. The devotion and bravery of the parents in 

 caring for both eggs and young is unusual even 

 among birds. 



The song is loud, rich, and wonderfully varied, 

 and is usually delivered from the top of a tall tree. 

 And the bird is a most persistent singer, continuing 

 for hours at a time. The first song-period ends near 

 the close of June ; a second one begins (in the neigh- 

 borhood of New York) in early September, and con- 

 tinues nearly or quite a month. The fall song has, 

 however, none of the spontaneity and vigor of the 

 spring one, but is a low, rambling warble. 



LITERATURE : 



In Nesting-Time. OLIVE THORNE MILLER. 

 Little Brothers of the Air. IBID. 



18. CATBIRD (Galeos copies carolinensis.) 



Entire bird slate-gray ; lighter below ; crown and tail black ; chest- 

 nut patch at the base of the under side of the tail. Beak long 

 and rather slender, black ; feet black. Bird a little smaller than 

 a robin. Sexes similar. 



THIS familiar bird comes to us with the pear- 

 blossoms, about the first week in May, and leaves 

 again in October. He may be sought in bushy 

 places and open woods in the neighborhood of 



