CAT BIRD. 
hi 
101 
'nsid** 'veeds, small twig's, and fine dry grass ; the 
plant* with the tine black fibrous roots of some 
Unit, ‘ 
The female lays four, sometimes five eggs, of a 
1 greenisli blue colour, without any spots. They 
'y raise two, and sometimes three brood in a 
In 
passing through the woods in summer, I have 
amused myself with imitating the violent 
or st|ueaking of young birds, in order to 
’’■ping 
^aeli , dillerent species were around me, — for 
'!®unds, at such a season, in the woods, are no less 
tile **“' tenants of the hushes, than 
'nta of fire or murder in the streets is to the inha- 
Of of a large and po|)ulous city. On such occasions 
■Oal ‘^“‘1 <'onsternation, the cat bird is the first to 
ols appearance, not singly, hut sometimes half a 
Qy - vax*>\^k3 UtHI Cli 
■^Pof ^ time, flying from dillerent quarters to the 
hij f 4** time, those who are disposed to play n-itli 
Pnd *®.^*“gs may almost throw him into fits, his emotion 
hg PR'tation arc so great, at the distressful cries of what 
I^Pposes to be his sulFering 
young. 
Other birds are 
affected; but none shew symptoms of such 
Suffering. 1 le hurries backwards and forwards, 
Pnd wings and open mouth, calling out louder 
Pppo *“*1 actually screaming with distress, till he 
offj ‘ r* hoarse with his exertions. He attempts no 
means; but he bewails — he implores — in the 
hii^ Pnthetic terms with which nature has supjilied 
in„ ’ p**! "'ith an agony of feeling which is truly aft'ect- 
to^ih feathered neighbour within hearing hastens 
Phoiit P. to learn the cause of the alarm, peeping 
thgij. "'^th looks of consternation and sympathy. But 
Cccuj®'’ ** Powerful parental duties and domestic con- 
ScajjQ oblige each to withdraw. At any other 
nve« ®ost perfect imitations have no cfl'ect what- 
rjj^on i,j^ 
Iwq Oat bird will not easily desert its nest. I took 
Put t trom one which was sitting, and in their place 
Ptand"** brown thrush, or thrasher, and took my 
Pt a convenient distance, to see how she would 
