Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-03
The family Circle.
About the CatbirdS.

singing all DAY, ana SOBER WrenS and busy
sparrows are hopping about after stray
crumbs and unwary bugs and worms, can
not think of bird being anything but
good and beautiful. But even bird can
be naughty and you will believe it, when
| have told you what some of them can
do, aud, may be, will learn something,
even from the unmannerly catbirds.
How did they get that name ?"
Well, because they sometimes make
noise like cat, not quite the soft purring
and mewing which puss often makes, but
more of a cross call the cats have when
they are disposed to quarrel
What pretty, graceful things those
dark colored birds are" exclaimed wheu
for the first time | saw them in our new
country home. But closer notice of
them soon taught me they had saucy.
lmpudent l0ok, which all their pretty
ways and fine shape could not hide. And
at last, after patiently waiting, was CON-
PEELED to admit they ware set Of spitefu,
untriendly birds, of whom [ could say
nothing good.
Last Spring there came two beautiful
redbirds, who went gaily to work and
built themselves nest in silver maple
tree, just across the road ; and they
chirped and worked away as happy as
birds could be until their little house was
flushed. All this time couple of cat
birds were in the yard and garden, skim
ming through the currant bushes and lilac
trees, and then perching on the fence,
would watch the redbirds in a sharp, cum
ming way, which we all felt sure meant
nothing good.
But would you believe it, no sooner was
the nest finished, than they began to
plague the redbirds in every way they
could. They would fly through the tree
making their catike noise, and alight on
the branch just over the nest, where one
of the birds was sitting. Soon they grew
holder, and hoped on the edge of the
nest at this the patient redbirds tried to
drive them off, But the saucy catbirds
had no notion of being driven off; and
now regular fight began; with their
sharp bills the catbirds began to pluck at
the nest, and the redbirds fought bravey
for the little house they had built. The
battle kept on for long time, when two
little greybirds joined in the fight; and we
were delighted to see them take the part
of the redbirds, aud fight as earnestly as if
it had been their own nest. But the cat
birds never gave up until the nest was all
torn to pieces and scattered on the ground
You will call this spiteful work and so it
was.
Another time there came two little
wreus and built them nest in the snug
gest place Ola rosebush beside the house
they laid several eggs, and in due time
had as many young ones in their nest. A
pair of catbirds were in the yard every
day and saw all that was going ou; they
would even perch on the rosebush and look
into the nest when the wren was off, but
did not seem to care anything about it.
But that was ooly their deceitful way !;
for no sooner were the young birds out of
the shells, than they began to torment the
old ones We drove them off, but every
little while they came back, until night
stopped them.
One morning we found the nest on the
ground land the little birds out in the grass,
the wrens frightened, and lowering around
the fallen nest, and the two catbirds in a
cherry-tree looking as if they wondered
what was the matter the mean things.
We put the nest in its place, which was
so snug hard wind could not have blown
it down, and placed the young birds in it,
and the old ones went to feeding them
All day we watched, and drove off the
catbirds every time we caught them In the
yard. But early next morning we found
the nest on the ground torn to pieces, and
the young ones all dead but one. and that
was nearly gone. The catbirds were on
the fence, looking as willlul and saucy as
birds could look.
If you ask what the catbird does for a
living, answer, he steals He thinks
nothing of driving off pair of birds, and
taking their nest if he is strong enough to
do it. But he is often compelled to wait
until they are done with it, when he takes
possession. He will eat nothing but the
best of fruit it he can get it; he hangs
around the farms and gardens, and every
morning by five or six o'clock, has filled
his stomach with the best he can find
Every body tries to drive him off but he
is so quick and cunning in his movements,
that nothing ever seems to hit him. And
he is as wasteful as he isthievish; for the
ground is strewn with the fruit he plucks
off but will not eat, because it is not ripe
enough to please him. You may guess. il
you can, how the farmer and gardener feel
to see the fruit which cost them many a
day of hard labor, plucked off half ripe
and wasted on the ground.
1t would provoke you to see how meanly
he treats the wren and sparrows, and Other
useful little birds who live on crumbs
worms, bugs and insects which overrun the
gardens and orchards. He takes spitefu
pleasure in chasing them about, and tor
menting them in every way. l told you
there was nothing good to say in his favor
nothing that know of.'which will make
amends for his naughtiness. Ifhis fest
were fit to eat, which believe it is not,
would counsel the boys to shoot him, anc
have . dinner of catbirds sometimes ..
we'll as catfish.
i You can all see now how deceitful and
disagreeable really pretty looking birG
can be; and it is just the same with many