33 
THE CATBIRD. 
(Galeoscoptes carolinensis.) 
The catbird (fig. 18), like the thrasher, is a lover of swamps, and 
delights to make its home in a tangle of wild grapevines, greenbriers, 
and shrubs, where it is safe from attack and can find its favorite food 
in abundance. It is found throughout the United States west to the 
Rocky Mountains; occurs also in Washington, Idaho, and Utah, and 
extends northward into British America. It winters in the Southern 
States, Cuba, Mexico, and Central America. 
The catbird always attracts attention, and the intruder upon its 
haunts soon understands that he is not welcome. There is no mistaking 
the meaning of the sneering voice with which he is saluted, and there 
is little doubt that this gave rise to the popular prejudice against the 
—_ wie 
y, Ny)» 
wy 
WH 5, ‘ DS i}, 
Ai), / 
ane 
Fic. 18.—Catbird. 
bird; but the feeling has been increased by the fact that the species 
is sometimes a serious annoyance to fruit growers. All such reports, 
however, seem to come from the prairie country of the West. In New 
England, according to the writer’s experience the catbird is seldom 
seen about gardens or orchards; the reason may possibly be found in 
the fact that on the prairies fruit-bearing shrubs which afford so large 
a part of this bird’s food are conspicuously absent. With the settle- 
ment of this region comes an extensive planting of orchards, vineyards, 
and small fruit gardens, which furnish shelter and nesting sites for the 
catbird, as well as for other species, with a consequent large increase 
in their numbers, but without providing the native fruits upon which 
they have been accustomed to feed. Under these circumstances, what 
is more natural than for the birds to turn to cultivated fruits for their 
15620—No, 543 
