Wilson's thrush, or veery. 349 



WILSON'S THRUSH, or VEERY. 



{Turdus Wilsonii, Bonap. T. mustelinus, Wilson (not of Gmel.), 

 V. p. 98. pi. 43. fig. 3. Little Thrush, Lath. Synops. iii. p. 20. 

 (not of Pennant, &c.) Phil. Museum, No. 5.570.) 



Sp. Charact. — Tawny-brown; beneath whitish, with dusky spots 

 on the throat, which is inclined to tawny yellow ; tail short, 

 nearly even, the feathers pointed ; bill short. 



This common northern species arrives in Pennsylva- 

 nia and New England about the beginning of May. How 

 far they extend their northern migration is uncertain, 

 though probably to Labrador. They appear to retire to 

 the south early in October, and are more decidedly in- 

 sectivorous than any other native species. According to 

 Wilson, many winter in the myrtle swamps of South 

 Carolina. I have not, however, seen them in the South- 

 ern States at that season, and most part of the species 

 pass on probably as far as the coast of the Mexican 

 Gulf They do not, according to Wilson, breed in the 

 lower parts of Pennsylvania, though undoubtedly in the 

 mountainous districts, where they are seen as late as the 

 20th of May. They propagate and are very common in 

 Massachusetts. 



In its retiring habits and love of concealment this 

 Thrush resembles the preceding. They frequent the 

 dark and shady borders of small brooks and w^oods, and 

 sometimes the bushy and retired parts of the garden ; 

 from whence, without being often seen, in the morning, 

 and particularly the evening, to the very approach of 

 night, we often hear the singular, quaint, and musical 

 note of this querulous species, at short intervals, as he 

 perches upon some low branch of a tree or bush. This 

 curious whistling note sounds like 'vehu 'v'r^hu 'v'rehu 

 'v'rehu, and sometimes 'vca ved *vrehd 'vreha vehu, run- 

 ning up the notes till they become shrill and quick at 

 30 



