94 



CAT-BIRD. 



taste, and clashing of interest, between the Cat-bird and the farmer. 

 The Cat-bird is fond of large ripe garden strawberries; so is the 

 farmer, for the good price they bring in market. The Cat-bird loves 

 the best and richest early cherries; so does the farmer, for they are 

 sometimes the most profitable of his early fruit. The Cat-bird has 

 a particular partiality for the finest ripe mellow pears ; and these 

 are also particular favorites with the farmer. But the Cat-bird has 

 frequently the advantage of the farmer by snatching off the first- 

 fruits of these delicious productions ; and the farmer takes revenge 

 by shooting him down with his gun, as he finds old hats, wind- 

 mills and scarecrows are no impediments in his way to these for- 

 bidden fruits ; and nothing but this resource, the ultimatum of far- 

 mers as well as kings, can restrain his visits. The boys are now 

 set to watch the cherry trees with the gun; and thus commences 

 a train of prejudices and antipathies that commonly continue thro 

 life. Perhaps too, the common note of the Cat-bird, so like the 

 mewing of the animal whose name it bears, and who itself sustains 

 no small share of prejudice, the homeliness of his plumage, and 

 even his familiarity, so proverbially known to beget contempt, may 

 also contribute to this mean, illiberal and persecuting prejudice ; but 

 with the generous and the good, the lovers of nature and of rural 

 charms, the confidence which this familiar bird places in man by 

 building in his garden, under his eye, the music of his song, and 

 the interesting playfulness of his manners, will always be more 

 than a recompense for all the little stolen morsels he snatches. 



The Cat-bird measures nine inches in length ; at a small dis- 

 tance he appears nearly black; but on a closer examination is of 

 a deep slate color above, lightest on the edges of the primaries, 

 and of a considerably lighter slate color below, except the under 

 tail coverts, which are very dark red; the tail, which is rounded, 

 and upper part of the head, as well as the legs and bill, are black. 

 The female differs little in color from the male. Latham takes no- 

 tice of a bird exactly resembling this, being found at Kamtschatka; 



