96 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



The Catbird is a common summer resident of New Eng- 

 land and New York, except in the mountainous northern 

 portions, though it is found along large streams even in 

 northern Maine. It arrives in May and lingers into October. 

 It frequents shrubbery and thickets, especially the tangles 

 of vines and bushes near water. It is fond of fruit, and 

 may often be seen in midsummer with a raspberry in its 

 bill. Its ordinary call-note, from which it gets its name, is 

 familiar ; it is, perhaps, more snarling than a cat's mew. It 

 utters, besides, a mellow chuck, and occasionally a grating 

 chatter, kak kak kak. Its song is very similar to that of 

 the Thrasher, but it is not so vigorous, and though it un- 

 doubtedly does contain fine passages, it is marred by the 

 constant introduction of harsh phrases. When singing, the 

 Catbird often sits on some high spray, with tail depressed ; 

 when it hops along the ground or on a fence, the tail is 

 either cocked at an angle or thrown jauntily from side to 

 side. The bird always has an alert, saucy air. 



MocKiNGBiED. Mimus polyglottos 

 10.60 



Ad. — Upper parts ash-gray; wings blackish, with a Jroad jotee 

 har ; three inner pairs of tail-feathers black, fourth and fifth pairs 

 white, edged with black, outer pair white; under parts grayish- 

 white. 



Nest, of twigs, weed-stalks, etc., in a thick bush or low tree. 

 Eggs, bluish or greenish, spotted with reddish-brown. 



The Mockingbird is a rare visitant in southern New Eng- 

 land and the lower Hudson Valley ; there are several records 

 of its breeding in New England, notably near Springfield. 

 Single birds are not infrequently seen, especially in the fall 

 or early spring ; some of these may, of course, be escaped 

 cage-birds. An observer must guard carefully against taking 

 a Shrike for a Mockingbird ; the two birds resemble each 

 other somewhat in figure and colcffation, but the Shrike in 



