136 



BIRDS OF THE ROCKIES 



veery thrush is not a resident of the State, nor even an 

 occasional visitor ! Of course I could not set up my 

 judgment against that of those scientific gentlemen. 

 But what could this minstrel be ? I wrote to my friend, 

 Mr. Charles E. Aiken, of Colorado Springs, who replied 

 that the bird was undoubtedly the willow thrush, \\ hich 

 is the western representative of the veery. I am willing 

 , to abide by this decision, especially as 



Ridgway indicates in his Manual that 

 there is very little difference in the 

 coloration of the two varieties. One 

 more mile-post had been passed in my 

 never-ending ornithological journey — I 

 had learned for myself and others that 

 the willow thrush of the Rockies and 

 ^ the veery of our Eastern and 

 Middle States have practically 

 the same musical repertory, and 

 nowhere in the East or the 

 West is sweeter and more 

 haunting avian minstrelsy to 

 be heard, if only it did )iot 

 give one that sad feeling 

 which Heine calls Heimweh! 



Willow Thrush 



