"general bem." 
285 
many such instances of its devoted valor, in battling with 
snakes and cats. 
" Yesterday," says Mr. Bartram, " I observed a conflict or 
contest between a cat-bird and a snake. It took place in a 
gravel walk in the garden, near a dry wall of stone. I was 
within a few yards of the combatants. The bird pounced or 
darted upon the snake, snapping his bill ; the snake would 
then draw himself quickly into a coil, ready for a blow, but 
the bird would cautiously circumvent him at a little distance, 
now and then running up to and snapping at him, but keep- 
ing at a sufficient distance to avoid a blow. After some 
minutes it became a running fight, the snake retreating, and 
at last he took shelter in the wall. The cat-bird had young 
ones in the bushes near the field of battle." 
Audubon also bears ample testimony to the unhesitating 
self-devotion of this charming little songster, when once its 
sympathies have been aroused, as well as to the attractive 
character of its song, and its sagacious estimate of the mo- 
tives and character of those who approach its nest : 
" No sooner has the cat-bird made its appearance in the 
country of its choice, than its song is heard from the topmost 
branches of the trees around, in the dawn of the morning. 
This song is a compound of many of the gentler trills and 
sweet modulations of our various woodland choristers, de- 
livered with apparent caution, and with all the attention and 
softness necessary to enable the performer to please the ear 
of his mate. Each cadence passes on without faltering, and 
if you are acquainted with the songs of the birds he so sweetly 
imitates, you are sure to recognize the manner of the differ- 
ent species. When the warmth of his loving bosom engages 
him to make choice of the notes of our best songsters, he 
brings forth sounds as mellow and as powerful as those of 
the thrasher and mocking bird. These medleys, when heard 
in the calm and balmy hours of retiring day, always seem to 
possess a double power, and he must have a dull ear indeed^ 
