344 INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



From the southern parts of the Union, 6r wherever he 

 may winter, the Wood Thrush arrives in the Middle 

 States from the 1st to the 15th of April ; though his ap- 

 pearance here, where the species is scarce, does not take 

 place earlier than the beginning of May. At the dawn 

 of morning he now announces his presence in the woods, 

 and from the top of some tall tree, rising through the 

 dark and shady forest, he pours out his few, clear, and 

 harmonious notes in a pleasing reverie, as if inspired by 

 the enthusiasm of renovated nature. The prelude to 

 this song resembles almost the double tonguing of the 

 flute, blended with a tinkling, shrill, and solemn warble, 

 which reechoes from his solitary retreat, like the dirge 

 of some sad recluse, who shuns the busy haunts of life. 

 The whole air consists usually of 4 parts or bars, which 

 succeed, in deliberate time, and finally blend together in 

 impressive and soothing harmony, becoming more mel- 

 low and sweet at every repetition. Rival performers 

 seem to challenge each other from various parts of the 

 wood, vying for the favor of their mates, with sympathetic 

 responses and softer tones ; and some, waging a jealous 

 strife, terminate the warm dispute by an appeal to com- 

 bat and violence. Like the Robin and the Thrasher, 

 in dark and gloomy weather, when other birds are 

 sheltered and silent, the clear notes of the Wood 

 Thrush are heard through the dropping woods, from 

 dawn to dusk, so that, the sadder the day, the sweeter 

 and more constant is his song. His clear and interrupt- 

 ed whistle is likewise often nearly the only voice of melo- 

 dy heard by the traveller, to mid-day, in the heat of sum- 

 mer, as he traverses the silent, dark, and wooded wilder- 

 ness, remote from the haunts of men. It is nearly impos- 

 sible by words to convey any idea of the peculiar warble 

 of this vocal hermit ; but amongst his phrases, the sound 



