Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-03-08
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NATURAL s::HlsT0RY. .....:...
of THE SOUTH
BY JAMES HENRY RICE, Jr.
Copyright is2T q i By "a Jas. s D. Gri5t.}
:THE EAIRlRp q

-'foidi ordcrasa:siires;;1 AZ ss:ii;; Gehus, Duhldteq1a,
Family, Tlirdidae; Species, Carolinen:
SIS, Linnaeuiss, who accurately named
Whateyer, was accurately ar;s;i described to
:bim, Called tho ''Catbird iGaieostoDtes
1e:aarolliinensis. Tho word gale6scoptcs
Comes com from :. two Greek words, Gale a
cat, drd scope, flock, hence the cHrolfna
bird that looks, like a cat, that is, has
ia resemblance to a. cat referring to
the Catbird's 'ilnewing cry. : However,
because the name had already been
bestowed on something else, the Amer
.ican Ornlthologits'' Union has changed
the generic name to dtimetella mean
ing Il dwelcr in thickets. It was first
described from South Carolina, hence
The name. ;. ''..Ha -,
!! The catbird breeds from British
Columbia to Nova Scotia south of Ore
gon,; Utah, northern New Mexico,
eastern Texas and northern Florida,
In South; Carolina 1t almost never
breeds on the coast Wayne has one
breeding record for over thirty years:
Formerly it bred around .Summcrville,
bit had ceased to: do SO, when I lived
there f(19O9-1915). In the middle and
western portions: Of the state It bteeds
freely. The nest is usually in a thick
bush and within ten feet of the
ground, as a rule. 1t is bulky and mot
made with any art The materials" are
dry leaves, twigs, grass, lined with
fibrous roots and grass. The eggs are
deep bluish -grcen, and number usually
four, but frequently five" and some
times six occur;I's :':i,'
=" Style of Song Original.
D. Ridgway thinks the Catbird
should be,a general favorite and..that
he would be, but for his occasional
cat-like notes which many persons OBJ
jcct to.2i"Though distinguished by his
song, which, Notwithstanding its fire.
duent Interruption by. limitations, is
eminently original in style, it %is,. how
cver,.'hs manners which commend him
most to1 our notice. There is scarcely
an orchard in. the land, from the At
lantic coast to the western base of the
Rocky mountains; and from the Gulf
of! Mexico to THE. British provinces,
whichis not cniivened by the presence
of one or more pairs of Catbirds; and
very incomplete an American orchard
would be without them. At all hours
of the day Hiss cheerful song: may be
heard from aifn6ng the green boughs
of an apple@ffee; and when tho heat
of the midday tsun tells him that n
bath would 81 refreshing, he comes
and .splashcs in the wash basin. at, the
back doordn thc!most perfect civilized
style. : Then, n,yWhen !, we. return his
familiarity and intrdde upon his own
household, wctcan..not. but admire the
courage with (which he demonstrates
and defends his own home" :;
Sexes Alike in Color:
In. color tho sexes are alike, .thei fe-
male averaging somewhat smaller in
size. The back Is q plumbcous slate,
lighter bellows. the pilcum or cap is
black and the crissum (spacc between
vent and the root Of the taiD chestnut
The bill is jet sblaclz. the iris brown.
legs and feet black, the solcs of the
toes -ycllowish CRidgway).
|. In feeding habits the Catbird is 4
notable insect cater. like all of the
thrushcs. There is no denying that he
takes toll of fruit alSo-a generous
toll This Is moro than offset by the
protection he gives by destroying in
sccts. Moreover. it has been pointed
out by my friend, Mr.. w. L. 'McAtoe
who is carrying on the work left by
DR.. r. l.. l.. Dcal, much, Of this dam
age to fruit may be avoided by tho
simple device of planting mulberry
trees. Most. birds. including the Cat
bird, prefer the. mulberry to- other
fruits and feed on the berries TO the
exclusion of'other kinds. This will al
ways make difference in the amount
of fruit takensb by birds. -.
Devoted to Their Young.
While Catbirds rarely breed on 1.-The