The Cat- bird and Us Mimicking Ways. 137 



of twigs, lined with mud and fine dried grass, and is usually 

 placed either in a bank or bush close to the ground ; the 

 eggs are greenish-blue. In point of hardihood it is not 

 nearly so able to stand cold as the robin. I reared several, 

 which died suddenly during a cold night in the latter end 

 of October. Another diminutive throstle is the OlivEt 

 BACKED Thrush (T. Swainsonii) ; its migrations, as com- 

 pared with the last, differ in thus far, that it goes further 

 north in summer, and does not go so far south. As usual, 

 all sing at night: its close ally, Wilson's Thrush (T. ful- 

 vescens), is also a summer visitor within our boundaries ; both 

 partake of the same seeming imperfections in their songs as 

 the preceding bird. 



While on this subject, I may refer to the case of the Cat 

 Bird {M. Carolinensis), the sole representative in our region 

 of the mocking-bird, and brown thrush (M. ntfus). Neither 

 of the two last have been hitherto observed so far north, but 

 the mocking-bird rarely visits Massachusetts, where the latter 

 is common. 



It is strange that the cat-bird, the natural cry of which 

 clearly resembles the mew of the cat, should show such a 

 remarkable dislike for any feline animal. This peculiarity 

 we know is more or less present in all the smaller birds, but I 

 doubt if it is displayed in them to the same extent as as we find 

 in the case of the above. I reared an individual, which became 

 very docile and familiar, coming out of its cage and perching 

 on my hand, or following me about the house. Although never 

 evincing any dread of a dog, even of hairy terriers, no sooner 

 was a cat, or the skin of a hare, placed near the cage, or 

 anywhere within view, than it became intensely excited. 

 I have often wondered if this inherited distrust of the cat 

 could be explained in any way with reference to the imitative 

 peculiarities of the bird. In other words, is it possible that 

 some ancestor began to mew like a cat whenever he saw the 

 wild cats in his haunts, and that in process of time it came to be 



