The San Francisco call., 1910-03-05

n
nest full of young mocking birds
and then wait and see. With
hoarse "Ca-a-a -a-arr the male or fe-
male parent sounds the note of alarm.
No time is lost in driving the prowl-
ing marauder away. First one anu
then the other feathered soldier ad-
vances, swooping upon the cat ana
retreating with a mouthful of fur. How
the cat would jump, and mounting on
it's hind feet, claw the air in It's at
tempts to strike the feeting bird. First
one and then the other mocking bird
would lead the assault, but the cat had
certain sense of dignity about him
that would not allow him to be halted
or turned back and he stood his ground.
1t was evident that if the birds wished
him out of the neighborhood, more
strenuous measures must be taken, and
the assault became simultaneous, front
and rear. Beaks were sharp and came
away filed with fur and now and then
a reddish something showed that they
We're striking home.
Even a cat knows when 1t has
enough, and after many attempts to
catch it's tormentors there was moth
ing left for it to do but take refuge
under a distant geranium bush, the
feathered pursuers speeding him on his
way by several we'll directed prods
But at daylight the next morning
The cat was seen to carry a mocking
bird away in it's mouth. The bird was
full grown and yet warm. Red pepper
was well rubbed into the feathers and
the bird then given to the cat. The
bird disappeared, all but the wings,
tail and legs, and further than rub
~bing of its jaws with its paws the
cat seemed to enjoy the meal. 1t was
thought that red pepper and mocking
birds might become associated in that
cats memory. and in future the song
sters would remain unmolested, but to
no avail.
mocking bird will fight with the
spirit of a hawk and it's bravery only
too frequently brings about it's DOOM
We have seen 1t cuffed by cat in
fight and advance again and again to
the assault.
bird is attended with more or less
danger, as in their fury~they are apt
to strike one in the face and innict
a serious injury to the eye.
They will fight an egg hunting snake
and seem to be able to resist the ad-
vances made by the snake to the
birds. Other birds in the vicinity Of
their favorite feeding grounds are
driven off with little ceremony.
> We knew Of a mocking bird which
when its cage was put in the yard
would deliberately place some of it's
food along the outer edge OF the. cage,
a temptation to the thieving sparrows.
And when the sparrows came-well
the same sparrow never came the sec
ond time. But there were many SPAR
rows who were fond of mocklng bird
food and who could not resist theA
temptation? And the mockng bird
in time became very expert in sparrow
batting, to the amusement of the
neighborhood, that loved not the spar
row.
The butcher bird or shrike is per-
haps the most despicable Of all the
birds that fly. 1t is aggressive, but
only as the bully is aggressive who
tackles the little fellow The small
bird and the hedgling are the prey of
this feathered, ruthless butcher.
We have seen a frightened shrike
drop a hedgling lnnet from its claws.
the little feathered body yet warm bur
with it's head torn off We have seen a
linnet feed its hedgling upon the
ground and then fly to nearby perch