OUR FAMILIAR BIRDS. 25 



it, but often before I could get away, when I thought 

 them out of sight, the male would suddenly appear, and 

 greater demonstrations of anger I never saw manifested 

 by any bird. He would ruffle up his tiny feathers, and 

 seem nearly twice as large, and dash almost into my 

 face, making a squeaking noise — scolding and threaten- 

 ing until he had driven me quite a distance. He soon 

 learned that I was very much afraid of him, so he 

 turned tyrant, and often drove me from my seat in the 

 grove when I had not been near his dwelling. I always 

 submitted to the little lord, for what business had I 

 to be prying into his domestic affairs ? When the 

 young were hatched they were not larger than humble- 

 bees, but in a week they had flown. I cut the twig 

 off, and found the nest was composed of the same soft, 

 downy substance which I had noticed in the wood- 

 pewee's nest, but it was matted so closely together that 

 it was almost as firm as the softer kinds of felt ; it was 

 a marvel of skill and beauty, and completely covered 

 externally with lichens. 



But of all the feathered choristers none were so 

 charming, none so confiding and intelligent, as the cat- 

 bird (Galeoscoptes oarolinensis), three pairs of which 

 nested close to the house, each pair rearing two broods 

 of young. One nest was near a second-story window, 

 in a climbing rose-bush; at first the birds slightly re- 

 sented my attempts at familiarity, but I was persever- 

 ing and very quiet, sitting by the open window with 

 only a light wire screen between us; after they had 



