TURDIDffl. BIBDS. ClNCLIDiE. 
cxxxv 
he tries his voice in imitation of the various song- 
sters, and being one of the earliest in the suniiner 
morning concerts, lie is particularly prominent; yet he 
is but an inditferent melodist. Wilson, whose kindly 
feelings are always on the side of our birds, thus de- 
fends the Cat-bird : “With all his amiable qualities, 
few people in the country respect the Cat-bird ; on 
the contrary, it is generally the object of dislike, and 
the boys of the United States entertain the same 
prejudice and contempt for this bird, its nest and 
young, as those of Britain do for the Yellow Hammer. 
I am at loss to account for this cruel prejudice. 
Even those by whom it is entertained can scarcely 
tell you why; only, they ‘hate Cat-birds,’ as some 
persons tell you they ‘ hate Frenchmen,’ they ‘hate 
Dutchmen,’ etc. : e.\q)ressions that bespeak their own 
narrowness of understanding and want of liberality. 
The Cat-bird is fond, of large, ripe garden straw- 
berries ; so is the farmer. The Cat-bird loves the 
richest and best early cherries ; so does the farmer. 
'J’he Cat-bird has a particular partiality for the finest, 
ripe, mellow pears ; and these, also, are particular 
favorites of the farmer. But the Cat-bird has fre- 
quently the advantage, by snatching off the first- 
fruits of these delicious productions; and the farmer 
takes revenge by shooting him down, as he finds old 
hats, wind-mills and scare crows are no impediments 
in his way to those forbidden fruits. 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 through 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 proverbi- 
ally 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 famil- 
iar bird places in man by building in his garden, 
under his eye, the music of his song, and the inter- 
esting playfulness of his manners, will always be 
more than a reconqiense for all the little stolen 
morsels he snatches.” All honor to the memory of 
the kindly heart that prompted, and the cultui-ed, 
poetic mind that gives us such biographies of our 
charming native birds! 
MOUNTAIN MOCKING-BIRD [Oroscoptes monta- 
nus). — This bird, described by Audubon as the 
Turdus montanus, and by Bonaparte as Mimus 
montanus, is an inhabitant of the Bocky Moun- 
tains, ranging to the southward as far as IMe.xico, 
and westward to California. Its length is eight 
inches. 
THE CALIFORNIA THRUSH [Harporlnynclms redi- 
vivvs. — 'I'his species, found on the coast of California, 
has a very long and curved bill. 'I'he wing is pecu- 
liar, being much rounded in its outline. 
LECONTE’S THRUSH {Harporhynclms lecontii ). — 
'I’he bill in this species is also considerably curved. 
In general appearance it closely resembles the last 
named, but is smaller. Its habitat is near Fort 
Yuma, California. 
CURVED-BILL THRUSH [Ilarporliynchus curviros- 
trig). — 'I’his species is distinguished from the Califor- 
nia 'I’lirush by its smaller size, shorter tail and white 
under parts with distinct spots, etc. Habitat, Lower 
Bio Grande. 
MEXICAN THRUSH (Ilarporliynchus longirostris) . 
is a species resembling the Brown 'I’lirush of the 
Northern States, yet considered to be distinct and 
easily recognized by certain characters. It is found 
on the Lower Bio Grande, and south through Eastern 
Mexico. 
BROWN THRUSH (Harporhynclms rufus).-— 
'riirough Eastern North America this bird is well 
known as a pleasant songster. He is variously called 
Thrasher, Brown 'I'hrush, Fox-colored Thrush, Fer- 
ruginous 'I'lirush, and, in the Southern States, the 
French Mocking-bird. Its tones are much like those 
native to the Mocking-bird. In the early days of 
the Bepublic, the latter was called the English 
Mocking-bird, while the Brown 'I'hrush, being some- 
what inferior in voice, was designated as the French 
Mocking-bird — our forefathers, through strong preju- 
dice, considering everything French as inferior. 'J'he 
Brown 'I’hrush is the largest of this fa.mily. He 
is u.sually seen in the Northern States about the last 
week in April. Wilson says of this bird: “'I’he 
Thrasher is a welcome visitant in spring to every 
lover of rural scenery and rurul song, which is first 
heard in the montlis of April and May, when our 
woods, hedge-rows, orchards and cherry-trees are 
one profusion of blossoms.” 'I’he Brown 'I’hrush is 
easily reared, and sings well in confinement. 
Family— GIN CLIDAE. 
AMERICAN DIPPER; WATER OUZEL (Ginchts 
mexicanus). — This bird, having a range from British 
America to IMexico, along the line of the Bocky 
Mountains, was described by Audubon as Cinclus 
americanus. It is allied to the 'I’hrushes, but has 
curious habits which lead it to frequent running 
streams of water. Dr. Cones, U. S. A., has lately 
given us, in The American Sportsman, Jan. 7th, 1874, 
an interesting account of the species and its nest, as 
follows : “ It may seem singular to speak of a 'I’hrush- 
like bird living in the water, but such is exactly true 
in this case. Although not web-footed, nor able to 
swim with its feet, nor having the slightest affinity 
with water birds, as is generally understood, never- 
theless, there is no Duck or Diver more truly 
aquatic than the Dipper; a great part of its time, in 
fact, being spent under water, where it repairs in 
search of food. 'I’he question naturally arises how, 
if it cannot swim, it stays there, or gets there at 
all? It files down into the water, and flies about 
under the surface, using its wings just as in ordinary 
flight. In the transparent brawling brooks it loves 
to fi'equent. We may see it, at times scrambling 
along near the bottom, heading always np stream, 
holding the body inclined forward and downward, 
beating its wings, and so tripping along just over 
the bottom of the brook. It seems to have some 
difficulty in keeping down, for the moment its exer- 
