328 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



served by Holt in Montgomery County on March 24, 1912, and 

 January 6, 1913.** 



Migrants appeared in spring at Rendalia, April 6 (1894) ; 

 Smelley, April 10 (1889) ; HoUins, April 12 (1908) ; Leighton, 

 April 15 (1891); and Montgomery, April 19 (1912). The 

 last were seen in autumn at Leighton, October 1 (1892) ; 

 Greensboro, October 6 (1888) ; and Anniston, October 15 

 (1916). At Bon Secour, October 24, 1908, I found catbirds 

 very numerous in a brushy magnolia swamp. Eggs were 

 found at Leighton, May 11, 16, and 26 and June 25 ; Barachias, 

 June 1 ; and Autaugaville, June 5 ; and young at Leighton, 

 July 26. 



General habits. — The catbird is a lover of thickets and may 

 be found either in low, moist bottoms or in the shrubbery 

 about houses and village gardens. Not naturally suspicious, 

 when afforded protection it becomes very tame and feeds un- 

 alarmed close to the house. It is an interesting bird, full of 

 activity, and given to assuming queer poses. Its song, de- 

 livered usually from the thick shrubbery, is not loud, but quite 

 sweet, varied, and attractive, and at times may contain dis- 

 tinct imitations of other birds' notes. When the catbird's 

 nest is disturbed or a cat appears near its home it has re- 

 course to a scolding, mewing note which gives it its common 

 name. The nest is placed in thick bushes, vines, or some- 

 times in thick-foliaged trees, usually within 5 or 6 feet of the 

 ground but occasionally as high as 12 feet. It is a rather 

 loose, bulky structure of grapevine bark, rootlets, leaves, or 

 grasses, lined usually with black rootlets. 



Food habits. — The food of the catbird is varied and the 

 economic status of the species is open to some difference of 

 opinion. It is frequently destructive to small fruits, especial- 

 ly when grown in small tracts, as in village gardens. Prof. 

 Beal reports the results of his investigation of the catbird's 

 food as follows : 



The stomachs of 645 catbirds were examined and found to 

 contain 44 per cent of animal (insect) and 56 per cent of vege- 

 table food. Ants, beetles, caterpillars, and grasshoppers con- 

 stitute three-fourths of the animal food, the remainder being 



♦•Golsan and Holt, The Auk, vol. 31, p. 23S, 1914. 



