DESCRIPTION OF^ THE CATBIRD 57 



Terr, for 1872, 1873, 670, 705, 713 (far west). Ridg. Bull. Essex Inst. v. 1873, 179 (Colo- 

 rado). Ridg. Am. Nat. vii. 1873, 201, 550 ; viii. 1874, 198. Mcrr. Am. Nat. viii. 1874, 7. 

 B. B. 6f R. NAB. i. 1874, 52, fig. pi. 3. f. 5.Hensh. Rep. Orn. Specs. 1874, 40, 56, 71 (Utah, 

 &c.). Brew. Pr. Bost. Soc. xvii. 1875, 438. Hensh. Zool. Expl. W. 100 Mericl. 1876, 152. 



Caleoscoptcs carolinensis, s. <v S. PZS. 1859, 370 (Oaxaca). 



Felivox carolinensis, Bp. CR. 1853. 



Lucar carolinensis, Coues Pr. Phila. Acad. 1875, 349 (comment, on Bartram). 



Lucar li Virtus, Bartr. Trav. Fla. Amer. ed. 1791, p. 290bis. 



Tnrdns lividllS, Wils. AO. ii. 1810, 90, pi. 14, f. 3 (after Bartram). Bp. 

 Journ. Phila. Acad. iv. 1824, 36 (critical). Less. Tr. Orn. 1831, 410. 

 Gaetke, J. f. O. 1856, 71 (Heligoland!). Haym. Pr. Phila. Acad. viii. 

 1856, 289. 



Orpheus lividus, Bias. Ibis, iv. 1862, 66 (Heligoland). 



TurdUS feliVOX, Vieill.OAS. ii. 1807, 10, pi. 67. Bp. Journ. Phila. Acad. iv. 

 1824, 3tf. Bp. Ann. Lye. N.Y. ii. 1826, 75.Peab. Rep. Orn. Mass. 1839, 

 302. Thomps. Vermont, 1853, 78, tig. Willis, Smiths. Rep. for 1858, 

 1859, 281 (Nova Scotia). 



OrpheUS fell VOX, Sw. 7ttcA.FBA.ii. 1831, 192. Prattcn, Tr. Illinois Agr. 

 Soc. 1855, 601. 



MiniUS feliVOX, Bp. C.& GL. 1838, 18. Bp. CA. i. 1850,276. Burnett, Pr. 

 Bost. Soe. iv. 1851, 116. Read, Pr. Phila. Acad. vi. 1853, 398. Hoy, 

 Pr. Phila. Acad. vi. 1853, 309 (Wisconsin). Kennic. Tr. 111. Agr. Soc. 

 i. 1855, 582. Maxim. J. f. O. vi. 1858, 180. Hoy, Smiths. Rep. for 1864, 

 1865, 437 (Missouri). 



Cat Flycatcher, Penn. AZ. ii. 1785, 388, no. 272. 



Merle a derriere roux, D'Orb.l.c. . 



Zorzal gato, Cuban. FIG. 7. Foot of 



Merle Catbird ; Chat, Le Maine, Oi<. Canad. 1861, 167. Catbird, nat. size. 



Catbird, Vulg. 



HAB. Nearly all the United States, and adjoining British Provinces. North 

 to the Red and Saskatchewan Rivers (latitude 54). West to Washington, 

 Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah. South in winter to Panama. Mexico. Cuba. 

 Resident in the Southern States. Breeds throughout its range in North 

 America. 



CH. SP. $ 2 Sehistaceo-plumbeus, subtus dilutior ; vertice } caudd, 

 rostro pedibusque nigris, alls nigricantibus, crisso castaneo. 



$ $: Slaty-gray, paler and more grayish-plumbeous below ; crown of head, 

 tail, bill and feet black. Quills of the wing blackish, edged with the 

 body-color. Under tail-coverts rich dark chestnut or mahogany-color. 

 Length, 8^-9; ex tent, 11 or more; wing, 3-3f ; tail, 4; bill, f; tarsus, 1-1^. 



Young : Of a more sooty color above, with little or no distinction of a 

 black cap, and comparatively paler below, where the color has a soiled 

 brownish cast. Crissum dull rufous. 



The outer edge and tip of the lateral tail-feather is sometimes decidedly 

 paler than the rest, indicating the space occupied by the white in Oroscoptes. 



IT is not easy to account for the vulgar prejudice against this 

 bird. The contempt he inspires cannot be entirely due to 

 familiarity; for other members of the household, like the Eobin, 

 Bluebird, and Swallow, do not come under the ban. If his 

 harsh, abrupt, and discordant note were the cause, the croaking 



