THRUSHES 



241 



to me to know that this solitary, single-note 

 singer was like a Shakespeare in the bird world, 

 for she used such a large vocabulary. 



When John Burroughs was a member of the 

 Harriman Expedition to Alaska in iSiji), he met 

 this bird for the first time. His thoughts are 

 recorded in some verses which were written at 

 the time ; 



O \"aiMC(i Thrush! O Robin stran.s,'e ! 



Behold my mute surprise. 

 Thy form and flight I long have known, 

 But not this new disguise. 



The Varied Thrush is driven down from the 

 high moimtains by the snows of winter. \\ hen 



he first comes into the valleys, the later fruits are 

 still hanging on vine and tree. He seems to be 

 ravenously hungry for the sweet-tasting fruit 

 that has been planted by man. His taste some- 

 times turns to grapes and apples to such an 

 extent that some farmers think him a nuisance. 

 H one wishes to have Varied Thrushes about 

 his home during the winter, all he has to do is 

 to leave some apples hanging on one of the old 

 trees of the orchard. After the leaves have 

 fallen, the Thrushes will stay as long as the 

 a[)ples last. They seem to live almost entirely 

 on this fruit, especially when the snow is on the 

 .i^r'Hind. William L. Finlev. 



BLUEBIRD 



Sialia sialis sialis ( Liinuriis) 



A. O. U. Number 700 See Color Plate 106 



Other Names.— Eastern Bluebird; Wilson's Blue- 

 bird; Blue Robin; Common Bluebird; Blue Redbreast; 

 American Bluebird. 



General Description. — Length. 7 inches. Upper 

 parts, bright blue; under parts, cinnamon-chestnut and 

 white. Bill, small and slender; wings, long and 



pointed ; tail, 

 legs, short. 



Color. — Adult M.m.e: 

 blue, the shafts of wing- and tail-feathers black; and 

 tips of wing-feathers (especially primaries) dusky; 

 sides of head including cheeks { sotnetimes including 



shorter than wing, distinctly notched ; 

 Upper parts, uniform bright 



BLUEBIRD (S nat.size) 



rble, beautiful blue coat, warm waistcoat, and gentle manners make him the most 

 welcome herald of spring 



