CAT-BIRD. 
129 
On attentively listening for some time to him one can perceive 
considerable variety in his performance, in which he seems to 
introduce all the odd sounds and quaint passages he has been 
able to collect. Upon the whole, though we cannot arrange him 
with the grand leaders of our vernal choristers, he well merits 
a place among the most agreeable general performers. 
This bird, as has been before observed, is very numerous in 
summer, in the middle states. Scarcely a thicket in the country 
is without its Cat-birds; and were they to fly in flocks, like 
many other birds, they would darken the air with their num- 
bers. But their migrations are seldom observed, owing to their 
gradual progress and recession, in spring and autumn, to and 
from their breeding places. They enter Georgia late in F ebrua- 
ry; and reach New England about the beginning of May. In 
their migrations they keep pace with the progress of agri- 
culture; and the first settlers in many parts of the Gennessee 
country have told me, that it was several years after they re- 
moved there before the Cat-bird made his appearance among 
them. With all these amiable qualities to recommend him 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 ham- 
mer and its nest, eggs and young. I am at a loss to account for 
this cruel prejudice. Even those by whom it is entertained, can 
scai'cely tell you why; only they “ hate Cat-birds;” as some 
persons tell you they hate Frenchmen, they hate Dutchmen, 
&c. expressions that bespeak their own narrowness of under- 
standing, and want of liberality. Yet, after ruminating over in 
my own mind all the probable causes, I think 1 have at last hit 
on some of them; the principal of which seems to me to be a 
certain similarity of taste, and clashing of interest, between the* 
Cat-bird and the farmer. The Cat-bird is fond of large ripe gar- 
den strawberries; so is the farmer, for the good price they bring 
in market. The Cat-bird loves the best and richest early cher- 
ries; so does the farmer, for they are sometimes the most pro- 
VOi. II. — R 
