36 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



leaves, which rustle pleasantly beneath one's feet, when the 

 clear, cold, exhilarating weather is well adapted to exercise, 

 when the maples are in the utmost splendor of their brilliant 

 coloring, and finally when the hills, covered with the oaks of 

 low growth, where once forests stood, glow with the rich crim- 

 son, which at last becomes a dull brown, showing winter to be 

 near at hand. 



(d). The Hermit Thrushes very rarely sing except in the 

 summer-season, and generallj'^, while with us, their only notes 

 are a mellow chirj), a loud chuck, rarely uttered (especially in 

 spring?), and a single low whistle, which seems to come from 

 a more distant point than that which the bird occupies. When 

 frightened from their nests they often utter a very character- 

 istic dissyllabic note, expi-essive of their sorrow. Their song 

 is strikingly fine, and recalls the melody of the Wood Thrash 

 to one familiar with that melody, though lacking the power 

 and full music of the latter, being, as Mr. Burroughs has said, 

 silvery rather than golden. It usually begins with a few low, 

 rich notes, which are followed by the higher and more ringing 

 ones. 



Though the Hermit Thrushes bear a strong general resem- 

 blance to the two other " wood thrushes," whom an inexperi- 

 enced observer is likely to see in any part of this State 

 (A and B), yet they are rarely seen in the company of those 

 birds, preceding them in the spring-migrations, and returning 

 to the South later. The}^ sometimes are found daring their 

 annual journeys in company with the Gray-cheeked or Swain- 

 son's Thrush, but the former is rare, and seldom has any red- 

 dish-brown tinting on the upper parts, and the latter has both 

 rather distinct habits and notes. Let the young student, who 

 wishes to distinguish several closely allied species, mark the 

 points of difference, and not the similar characteristics of each, 

 and let him avoid employing only one means of distinction, 

 such as coloration. 



(D) swAiNSONi. Sivainson's Thrush. Olive-backed Thrush. 

 " Swamp Robin " ? 



