246 
CAT BIRD. 
trees, (which, by the bye, 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 witnessed, the Cat Bird was actually the 
assailant, and always the successful one. These rencounters 
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 greatest sulferers, 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 rattlesnake, 
at present [1811] kept by Mr Peale, satisfy us is a fact; but 
that the same snake, with eyes, breath, or any other known 
quality 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 : 44 Yester- 
day,” says this gentleman, 44 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 keeping 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. 
44 This may shew the possibility of poisonous snakes biting 
birds ; the operation of the poison causing them to become, as 
it were, fascinated.” 
