The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-16
THE TUNEFUl CATBiRD.
a Versatile Singer and u Good Miriic. Who
Thinks He Outciasses the Violin.

A Versatile Singer and Good Miriic, Who
Thinks He Outciasscs the Violin.
The most constant OF our feathered
summer boarders il n catbird. says
writer in Kate Fields Washington.
He comes TO us early in April and be.
gins singing as soon as he has chosen
his summer apartment This year he
and his quiet little wife selected
their home i'm the midst OF the Eng
lish ivy that covers an old acacia a
few feet from my chamber W ndow--
a pleasant choice for all parties con-
cerned.
After a few DAYS, spent principally
in the branches OF neighboring
cherry tyee-for our friends have but
scanty notions regarding the differ
ence between mine aud thine. and at
cherry time they cast even these few
dim ideas To the wind-another egg
is laid beside its brother, and so il
goes on until there are four small
blush eggs safely hidden under the
ivy leaves awaiting the warm pres
ure OF the mothers breast. Then
Nine. Catbird's sport Is over
1t seems TO me the catbird has
never been sufficiently praised. This
is probably partly his own fault and
due TO particularly harsh note
which he utters when startled or
angry-a grating "miau," much like
the mewing OF "a cat with case OF
chronic catarrh-and from this dis.
cordant cry the sweet singer has
earned his name. But this Is on Y
his war cry or note Of warning, ut
tered 70 bid his mate beware OF some
enemy prowiing near The danger
past his real song begins, and a
splendid one IL is, for he belongs Ia
the family of thrushes and has their
gift OF mimicry. There Is little
Italian In our home wonderful lit
tie body, who, being forever busy, is
constantly in demand. and many
times day the cry is raised for her:
"Cherubina! Cherubina" Our friend
in the ivy has heard our call; IL
pleased him not little Perhaps
there was something about the soft,
musical infection OF the Italian name
that reminded him OF the blue skies
and tropical vegetation OF the south
crn land where H. spends half the
year; So he set himself TO master its
intricacies, and To- one morning the
whistle came clear and pure, "Cher-
ubina-Cherubina," with the true
Latin infection on the penultimate.
So it is with everything. He Is eager
TO learn new songs and struggles man
fully TO master the pipings OF all his
feathered neighbors To do him JUS
tice, he succeeds remarkably well: In
fact there is but one call that escapes
him altogether--thc whistle OF the
quail. lie cannot say bob White. v
The other day he discovered new
field for his labors when from within
the house rose the high, pure notes OF
the violin. He stopped singing al
once, cooked his heed, and listened
| eagerly Clearly this was IA new eX.
| perience To him, and IL was evident
/ that he could not understand how any
| bird could sing SO long without stop
ping TO take breath. He himself pre-
fcrs TO whistle few bars, stop and
| look about bit while he trims his
feathers, and then begin again. Bat
this audacious and long winded crea
ture kept right on with trills, scales
and arpeggois following each other Ia
quick succession, with never a breath
ing space between, At last the gen
tleman In gray quite lost patience.
Was be, profe sional singer, TO bC
rivaled thus? so he dashed ruth
lessly into the performance. turning
the solo into "a most remarkable duet
and although he doubtless violated
every known and many unknown
rules OF harmony the result was de
cidedly pleasing. Then suddenly tn,
unknown songster within doors CLOSED
with a flourish. "IIa, ha" said Uul
gray friend. II thought / should tire
you out eventually" And with ;
last triumphant note he flew away u
recount his exciting experience TO hi