CAT-BIRD. 
337 
Song Sparrow, as given in the autumn ; and, from his 
love of imitation on other occasions, I am inclined to be- 
lieve that he possesses no original note of his own, but 
acquires and modulates the songs of other birds. Like 
the Robin, he is exceedingly fond of washing, and dash- 
es about in the water till every feather appears drench- 
ed ; he also, at times, basks in the gravel, in fine weather. 
His food, in confinement, is almost every thing vegetable, 
except unbruised seeds ; as bread, fine pastry, cakes, 
scalded corn-meal, fruits, particularly those which are 
juicy, and now and then insects and minced flesh. 
The length of this species is about 9 inches. Above deep slate- 
color, lightest on the edges of the primaries, and also considerably 
paler below. The under tail-coverts reddish chestnut. Tail round- 
ed. Upper part of the head, legs, and bill, black. — It occurs rarely 
pye-bald, with the head and back white, being nearly an albino. 
In a caged bird, I have also observed one or two of the tail-feathers 
and primaries partly white on their inner webs. — In the young , 
before the first moult, the rufous vent is paler, and the black of the 
Jiead indistinct. 
29 
