A SILVER-TONGUED FAMILY 103 



Tail black with white spots on the tips of some feathers. 

 Under parts brick-red, except the black and white streaked 

 throat and under the tail. 



A Citizen of the United States and Canada. 



A Ground Gleaner, Tree Trapper, and Seed Sower. 



THE WOOD THRUSH 



One pleasant evening after tea, but before sunset, 

 the Doctor sent Nat to ask Rap to come up to the 

 Farm, as they were all going for a walk through the 

 orchard and the river woods. 



'' What birds will you tell us about to-night ? " asked 

 Dodo, as they stood in the porch waiting for the 

 boys. 



" Cousins of the Bluebird — more cousins — but really 

 the heads of the Silver-tongued Family. They wear 

 much plainer clothes than the Bluebirds and Robins, 

 on their olive or russet-brown backs and light-tinted, 

 dark-spotted breasts, but have the most beautiful voices 

 in all Birdland. The names of these wonderful singers, 

 who make a musical quartette, are Wood Thrush, 

 Hermit Thrush, Wilson's Thrush, and Olive-backed 

 Thrush ; but you will have to keep both your eyes and 

 ears open to learn to tell them apart and name them 

 rightly." 



"There has been the beautifullest bird singing in 

 the big elm on the lawn for more than an hour, but 1 

 don't know his name and I want to ever so much. Do 

 you think he might be one of these Thrushes ? He is 

 singing now. Uncle Roy." And Dodo began tugging 

 at the Doctor's hand, to lead him down the steps. 

 They saw Nat and Rap coming along the road, and 



