682 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. IX. 



Genus DUMETELLA S. D. W. 



340. Dumetella carolinensis (Linn.). 

 Catbird. 



Galeoscoptes carolinensis (Linn.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 292. 



Distr.: Chiefly eastern United States and British Provinces, north 

 to the Saskatchewan, west to the RoCky Mountains, casual on the 

 Pacific coast; breeds from the Gulf states northward throughout 

 its range; winters in the south Atlantic and Gulf states, the West 

 Indies (to Anguilla) and Central America to Panama. 



Catbird. 



Adult: General plumage, plumbeous slate color; crown and tail, 

 black; under tail coverts, dark chestnut; bill and feet, black. Im- 

 mature birds have the under tail coverts dull rufous brown. Sexes 

 similar. 



Length, 8.50; wing, 3.60; tail, 3.65; bill, .54. 



The Catbird is a very common summer resident in Illinois and 

 Wisconsin. The majority arrive early in May and leave for the south 

 late in September. It is a delightful vocalist and a clever mimic, 

 but its most familiar note is a harsh cry somewhat resembling the 

 "mew" of a cat. 



It breeds in May and June. The nest is composed of small twigs, 

 rootlets, and leaves, in a bush, thicket, or low tree. The eggs are 

 4 or 5, deep greenish blue, and measure about .93 x .68 inches. 



The Field Museum collection contains a series of sets of eggs taken 

 in northern Illinois between May 25 and June 11. 



