Texas Bird Watcher Leaves State

A prominent bird-watcher who was tried for shooting a cat to death said he left the state after someone shot at him. The bird-watcher, James M. Stevenson, founder of the Galveston Ornithological Society, said he had received death threats since his trial on animal cruelty charges.

A judge declared a mistrial last month when the jury failed to reach a verdict. Mr. Stevenson told the police that he was standing on his porch Wednesday when someone shot at him.

In his trial, Mr. Stevenson admitted shooting the cat but defended the action because he believed it was threatening endangered birds.