The Red Cloud chief., 1893-10-20
THE TUNEFuL CATBiRD.
A Versatile Singer and u Good Mimic. Who
hin lie Outciasses the Violin.

'O'' ''so
Thinks lie Outciasscs the Violin.
The most constant of our fcathered
summer boarders is the catbird. lie
comes to us early in April and begins
singing as soon as he has chosen his
summer apartment. This year he and
his quiet little wife selected their home
In the midst of the English ivy that
covers an old acacia u few feet from
my chamber window-a pleasant
choice for all parties concerned.
After n few days, spent principally
In the branches of n ncighboring cherry
trcc-for our friends have but scanty
notions regarding the difference be-
tween mine and thine, and ut cherry
time cast even these few dim ideas to
the wind-anothcr u Is laid beside
its brother. and so IL goes on untilthcre
are four small BLUSH eggs safely hid
den under the ivy leaves awaiting the
warm pressure Of the mothers breast.
Then Nine. Catbird's sport Is over. Q
1t seems To me the catbird has never
been sufficiently praised. This IL
probably partly his w fault. and due
to a particularly harsh note which he
utters when startled or angry--a graf
ing "miau," much like the .mewing of
a cat with Il case Of chronic catarrh-
and from this discordant cry the sweet
singer has earned his name. But this
Is only his war cry or note of warning.
uttered TO bid his mate be wary of
some enemy providing near. The dan
ger past his real song begins, and u
splendid one IL is, for he belongs to the
family of thrushcs and has their gift
of mimicry. There is n little Italian
in our home, n wonderful little body,
who, being forever busy, is constantly
in demand, and many times a day the
cry Is raised for her: ''Cherubina!
Chcrubina!' Our friend in the ivy has
heard our call; 1t pleased him not n
little. Perhaps there was something
about the soft. musical infection
Of the Italian name that reminded him
Of the blue skies and tropical vegcta-
ton Of the southern land in which he
spends half the year; SO he set himself
TO master its intricacies, and, 10! one
morning the whistle came clear and
pure 'Cherubina - Cherubina," with
the true Latin infection on the penul.
innate. So IL Is with everything. lie
Is eager to learn new songs and strug-
giles manfully to master the pipings of
all his fcathercd neighbors. To do
him justice, he succeeds remarkably
' well: in fact there Is but one call that
escapes him altogether the whistle Of
the quail. lie can not say Bob
White"
The other day he discovered a new
field for his labors when from within
the house rose the high, pure notes OF
the violin. He stopped singing ut once,
cooked his head, and listened eagerly.
Clearly this was u new experience
to him, and IL was evident that ht
could not understand how any birt
could sing SO long without stopping (,
take breath. lie himself prefers t.
whistle a few bars, stop and look abou'
q bit while he trims his feathers, an,
then begin again. But this audaciou'
and long-windcd creature kept on will
trills, scales, and arpeggios followin,
each other in quick succession, witt
never Il breathing space between. A
last the gentleman in gray quite los
patience. Was he Il professional singer
to be riyaled thus? So he dashed ruth
lessly into the performance, turnin
the solo into u most remarkable duet
and although he doubtless violate
: every known and many unknown rule
; of harmony the result was decided
: pleasing. Then suddenly the unknow
, songster within the doors closed wit
a flourish. "Ha, ha!" said our gra
friend, 81 thought I should tire you on
eventually" And with a last triun
. plant note he few away to%recount hi
exciting experience to his mate.-Kat
, Fields Washington.