312 LIFE-HISTORIES OF TURDS 



ever, it merely seeks safety by hopping rapidly 

 into the adjoining- bushes. 



The food of this species consists chiefly of in- 

 sects, berries, and seeds of divers plant-species. 

 Whilst a resident of thickets, it delights in the 



_> 



shade of Abies canadcnsis, where it discovers a 

 full and ready supply of food in the shape of seeds 

 which have dropped from trees of mature growth. 

 The seeds of various species of Panicum, Aira, 

 and other graminaceous plants, together with 

 those of Ambrosia artciiiisia'folia, Amarantus hy- 

 bridus, A. albus, and the berries of Junipcrus Vir- 

 ginia na. The crumbs and scraps which have been 

 thrown out by the cook, and the cracked corn and 

 broom-seed which are feel to the chickens, are also 

 eagerly devoured in their frequent visits to our 



yards and wardens. We have detected in the 



j ~> 



many stomachs which we have examined, Formica 

 sanguinea, Harpalus compar, IL pensylvanicus, 

 Casnonia j>cuu sylvanicd, Scarites subterraneHs, 

 Rhynch&nus />////, Cratotiyclms c'tucr<:us, C. pertinax, 

 Pangus caliginosiis, Lachuostcrna. quercina, and 

 Lumbricus terrestris. 



This bird is a silent feeder. When perched, 

 however, it utters a low, simple call which sounds 

 like ts~i, and which can be heard at a very short 

 distance. Its song which is heard at intervals 

 from earl)' morninc; until night, is a mellow whistle 

 which consists of two long-drawn syllables uttered 

 with a rising intonation, and succeeded by five 

 others repeated rather quickly and with a falling 



