92 



CAT-BIRD. 



oblige each to withdraw. At any other season, the most perfect 

 imitations have no effect whatever on him. 



The Cat-bird will not easily desert its nest. I took two eggs 

 from one which was sitting, and in their place put two of the 

 Brown Thrush, or Thrasher; and took my stand at a convenient 

 distance to see how she would behave. In a minute or two the 

 male made his approaches, stooped down and looked earnestly at 

 the strange eggs; then flew off to his mate, who was not far dis- 

 tant, with whom he seemed to have some conversation, and in- 

 stantly returning, with the greatest gentleness took out both the 

 Thrasher's eggs, first one and then the other, carried them singly 

 about thirty yards, and dropt them among the bushes. I then re- 

 turned the two eggs I had taken, and soon after the female resumed 

 her place on the nest as before. 



From the nest of another Cat-bird I took two half fledged 

 young, and placed them in that of another which was sitting on 

 five eggs. She soon turned them both out. The place where the 

 nest was not being far from the ground, they were little injured, 

 and the male observing their helpless situation, began to feed them 

 with great assiduity and tenderness. 



I removed the nest of a Cat-bird, which contained four eggs, 

 nearly hatched, from a fox grape vine, and fixed it firmly and care- 

 fully in a thicket of briars close by, without injuring its contents. 

 In less than half an hour I returned, and found it again occupied 

 by the female. 



The Cat-bird is one of our earliest morning songsters, begin- 

 ning generally before break of day, and hovering from bush to 

 bush, with great sprightliness, when there is scarce light sufficient 

 to distinguish him. His notes are more remarkable for singularity 

 than for melody. They consist of short imitations of other birds, 

 and other sounds ; but his pipe being rather deficient in clearness 

 and strength of tone, his imitations fail where these are requisite. 

 Yet he is not easily discouraged, but seems to study certain pas- 



