Dusky, Gray, and Slate-colored 



Our familiar catbird, of all the feathered tribe, presents the 

 most contrary characteristics, and is therefore held in varied esti- 

 mation — loved, admired, ridiculed, abused. He is the veriest 

 "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" of birds. Exquisitely proportioned, 

 with finely poised black head and satin-gray coat, which he 

 bathes most carefully and prunes and prinks by the hour, he ap- 

 pears from his toilet a Beau Brummell, an aristocratic-looking, 

 even dandified neighbor. Suddenly, as if shot, he drops head 

 and tail and assumes the most hang-dog air, without the least 

 sign of self-respect; then crouches and lengthens into a roll, head 

 forward and tail straightened, till he looks like a little, short gray 

 snake, lank and limp. Anon, with a jerk and a sprint, every 

 muscle tense, tail erect, eyes snapping, he darts into the air intent 

 upon some well-planned mischief. It is impossible to describe 

 his various attitudes or moods. In song and call he presents the 

 same opposite characteristics. How such a bird, exquisite in 

 style, can demean himself to utter such harsh, altogether hateful 

 catcalls and squawks as have given the bird his common name, 

 is a wonder when in the next moment his throat swells and be- 

 ginning pbut-pbut-coquillicot, he gives forth a long glorious song, 

 only second to that of the wood thrush in melody. He is a jes- 

 ter, a caricaturist, a mocking-bird. 



The catbird's nest is like a veritable scrap-basket, loosely 

 woven of coarse twigs, bits of newspaper, scraps, and rags, till 

 this rough exterior is softly lined and made fit to receive the four 

 to six pretty dark green-blue eggs to be laid therein. 



As a fruit thief harsh epithets are showered upon the friendly, 

 confiding little creature at our doors; but surely his depredations 

 may be pardoned, for he is industrious at all times and unusually 

 adroit in catching insects, especially in the moth stage. 



The Mocking-bird 



(Mimus polygbttus) Mocking-bird family 



Length — 9 to io inches. About the size of the robin. 



Male and Female — Gray above ; wings and wedge-shaped taii 

 brownish; upper wing feathers tipped with white; outer 

 tail quills white, conspicuous in flight; chin white; under- 

 neath light gray, shading to whitish. 



Range — Peculiar to torrid and temperate zones of two Americas. 



Migrations — No fixed migrations ; usually resident where seen. 



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