CATBIRD. 25 



abundant in Southom Ontftrio. Mr. McTlwmith reports that 

 they roach HHiniltou about the 10th of May, and that during 

 Soptenibor thoy Htart f»)r tlicir winter quarters in the Southern 

 States. They migrate early because the cold nights cut off thuir 

 food which conHists largely of grubs an<l earthworms. They have 

 been charged with perpetrating misdemeanors in the farmers' corn- 

 field, and are known to partake at times of the small garden fruits. 

 Insects being their staple diet, they are not foinid here after the 

 frost visits us, and <jne example only has been found in our latitude 

 in the winter months. The honor of discovering this bird belongs to 

 my young friend, Arthur Gilman, an enthusiastic bird lover, who 

 first saw the thrasher one December day in 185)4, while walking in 

 the suburbs of Cambridge, Maswichusetts. The bird remained in 

 the same grove all winter, and Gilman and his friends continually 

 visited the grove and provided the bird with food. The thrasher 

 soon learned to recognize his friends and m»inifested great interest 

 in their movements when they visited him, and though he remained 

 shy and wary, as soon as his caterers moved away from the tree 

 under which the food was laid, he at once hastened to the feast, 

 having always a good appetite. One of his wings appeared to 

 be injured, and this is supposed to have been the cause of his 

 remaining north after his fellows had migrated. 



CATBIRD. 



We all know the catbird, for his discordant cry, so grotesquely 

 similar to pussy's me-ow, and his wild, sweet song and humorous 

 mimicry, are familiar sounds in every garden and grove between 

 the Atlantic shore and the Rockies. For accuracy's sake I should 

 modify that statement somewhat, for the bird is nmch more fre- 

 quently met with in Ontario than elsewhere, while in many locali- 

 ties in the Maritime Provinces catbirds are not at all common. 



As a rule this bird prefers the shrubbery to the taller trees for a 

 general resort, though, like the mocking-bird and the thrasher — 

 cousins in some degree — the catbird has a fondness for a tree-top 

 when the spirit of song is upon him. He is fond of the society of 



