A FAMILY OF LIVELY SINGERS 49 



their way to the garden, orchard, and fields. Yet few 

 farmers ever thank him. Because they don't often see him 

 picking up the insects in their cultivated land, they 

 wrongly conclude that he does them no benefit, only mis- 

 chief, because, occasionally, he does^eat a little fruit. It 

 seems to be a dreadful sin for a fellow in feathers to help 

 himself to a strawberry or a cherry or a little grain now and 

 then, although having eaten quantities of insects that, but 

 for him, would have destroyed them, who has earned a 

 better right to a share of the profits? 



The thrasher's song entrances every listener. He 

 seems rather proud of it for although at other times he 

 may keep himself well concealed among the shrubbery, 

 when about to sing, he chooses a conspicuous perch as if to 

 attract attention to his truly brilliant performance. 



This common and tuneful neighbor has been called a 

 ground "thrush" because it so often chooses to place its 

 nest at the roots of tall weeds in an open field; but a low 

 bush suits it quite as well. Its bulky nest is not a very 

 choice piece of architecture. Twigs, leaves, vine tendrils, 

 and bits of bark form its walls, and the speckled, greenish 

 blue eggs within are usually laid upon a lining of fine black 

 rootlets. 



The Catbird 



Length — 9 inches. An inch shorter than the robin. 



Male and Femal — ^Dark slate above; below somewhat 

 paler; top of head black. Distinct chestnut patch 

 under the black tail, feet and bill black also. Wings 

 more than two inches shorter than the tail. 



Range — British America to Mexico; west to Rocky 



