A SILVER-TONGUED FAMILY 107 



three o'clock, and by four all thrifty birds have dressed 

 themselves to go out marketing for breakfast." 



'^ The Veeries are singing down by the river," said 

 Olive to her father ; " perhaps we had better go there 

 before it grows dark." 



'' Veeries ? Is that what you call those birds ? " asked 

 Rap. " I never knew their name, so I called them 

 'sunset birds,' to myself." 



" Veeries, yes, but called Wilson's Thrush, too," said 

 the Doctor ; " because this kind of Thrush was named 

 after Alexander Wilson, who wrote a description of it, 

 and published a colored plate of it, seventy-five years 

 ago. But your name of ' sunset bird ' is very good, my 

 lad, for they sing best about twilight. We will go 

 down to the river path and hear them, though you 

 cannot see them very clearly now." 



The "Wood Thrush 



The largest of our Thrushes except the Robiu — length about 

 eight inches. 



Upper parts warm brown, like ground cinnamon ; brightest on 

 the head, but a little greenish on the tail. 



Under parts plain white in the middle, but boldly spotted with 

 black all over the breast and along the sides. 



Eye-ring whitish. 



A Summer Citizen of the eastern United States, and a Ground 

 Gleaner, Tree Trapper, and Seed Sower. 



Wilson's thrush 



Commonly called Veery from the sound of one of its notes 



" How still it is here I " said Dodo, as they walked 

 along tlie footpath tliat wound in and out among the 

 trees toward the edge of the river. Swallows were 



