CAT-BIRD. 
131 
from the Thrushes, I think he more properly belongs to the lat- 
ter tribe than to any other genus we have. His bill, legs and feet, 
place and mode of building, the colour of the eggs, his imitative 
notes, food and general manners, all justify me in removing him 
to this genus. 
The Cat-bird is one of those unfortunate victims, and indeed 
the principal, against which credulity and ignorance have so 
often directed the fascinating quality of the black-snal?;e. A mul- 
titude of marvellous stories have been told me by people who 
have themselves seen the poor Cat-birds drawn, or sucked, as 
they sometimes express it, from the tops of the trees (which, by 
the by, the Cat-bird rarely visits) one by one, into the yawning 
mouth of the immoveable snake. It has so happened with me 
that in all the adventures of this kind that I have personally wit- 
nessed, the Cat-bird was actually the assailant, and always the 
successful one. These rencontres never take place but during 
the breeding time of birds; for whose eggs and young the snake 
has a particular partiality. It is no wonder that those species 
whose nests are usually built near the ground, should be the great- 
est sufferers, and the most solicitous for their safety; hence the 
cause why the Cat-bird makes such a distinguished figure in 
most of these marvellous narrations. That a poisonous snake will 
strike a bird or mouse, and allow it to remain till nearly expiring 
before he begins to devour it, our observations on the living rat- 
tle-snake at present kept by Mr. Peale, satisfy us is a fact; but 
that the same snake, with eyes, breath, or any other known quali- 
ty he possesses, should be capable of drawing a bird, reluctantly, 
from the tree tops to its mouth, is an absurdity too great for me 
to swallow. 
I am led to these observations by a note which I received this 
morning from my worthy friend Mr. Bartram. “ Yesterday,” 
says this gentleman, “ 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 
