T U R D U S F E L I V O X , Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 75.
M U S C I C A P A C A R O L I N E N S I S , Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 328—Lath. Ind. Ornith.
vol. ii. p. 483.
O R P H E U S F E L I V O X , Swains, and Richards. Fauna Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 192.
CAT B I R D , T U R D U S L I V I D U S , Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 90. pi. 20. fig. 3 —
Nuttall, Manual, part i. p. 332.
Adult Male. Plate CXXVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill of moderate length, rather weak, slightly arched, broad at the
base, compressed towards the end acute; upper mandible with the ridge
rather acute, the sides convex, the edges sharp, the tip a little declinate ;
lower mandible nearly straight. Nostrils basal, oblong, half closed above
by a membrane, and partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary
size, neck rather long, general form slender. Feet of ordinary
length, slender ; tarsus compressed, anteriorly scutellate, acute behind;
toes free, scutellate above, the lateral ones nearly equal; hind toe rather
stronger ; claws compressed, arched, acute.
Plumage soft and blended. Bristles at the base of the bill. Feathers
of the hind head longish. Wings of ordinary length, broad, rounded,
the fifth quill longest, the fourth nearly equal, the first very short. Tail
long, rounded, of twelve straight narrowly rounded feathers.
Bill black. Iris hazel. Feet dark umber. The general colour of
the plumage above is blackish-grey, the head and tail brownish-black, as
are the inner webs of the quills. The cheeks, and under surface in general,
deep bluish.grey, the abdomen paler, and the under tail-coverts
brownish-red. The outer tail-feather transversely barred with white on
the inner web.
Length 9 inches, extent of wings 12 ; bill along the ridge T
7 | , along
the edge T
9 | ; tarsus 1 T
1
2 .
Adult Female. Plate CXXVIII. Fig. 2.
The female is a little paler in the tints of the plumage, but in other respects
is similar to the male.
The Cat Bird, both in the form of its bill, and the colour of its plumage,
as well as in many of its habits, is closely allied to several Flycatchers,
while in other respects it approaches the genus Turdus, and especially
that section of it which contains the Mocking Birds.
THE BLACKBERRY.
R U B U S V I L L O S U S , Willd. Sp. PI. vol. ii. p. 1085. Pursh, Flor. Amer. Sept. vol. i.
p. 3 4 6 . — I C O S A N D R I A P O L Y G Y N I A , Linn. R O S A C E A , JUSS.
This species of bramble is pubescent, prickly, with angular twigs; the
leaves ternate or quinate, with ovato-oblong, serrate, acuminate leaflets,
downy on both sides; the calycine leaves short, acuminate; the flowers
white, in a loose raceme. Blackberries are so plentiful in all parts of the
United States, that they are gathered in great quantities, and often exposed
for sale in the markets, especially those of the Eastern Districts,
where they are applied to various domestic uses. They grow to a remarkably
large size in the Southern States, where the plant itself is larger and
more productive. In Kentucky and Louisiana, I have observed a variety
bearing fruit of a light yellow colour, which is still superior to the common
sort in flavour.