10 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Habits. This species is one of the common birds of New England, and is 

 probably abundant in certain localities throughout all the country east of the 

 Eocky Mountains, as far to the north as the 50th parallel, and possibly 

 as far as the wooded country extends. Mr. Maynard did not meet with 

 it in Northern New Hampshire. Mr. Wm. G. Winton obtained its nest 

 and eggs at Halifax, N. S. ; j\Ir. Boardman found them also on the Gulf 

 of St. Lawrence, and at St. Stephen's, N. B. ; JNIr. Couper at Quebec ; Mr. 

 Krieghoff at Three Ilivers, Canada ; Donald Gunn at Selkirk and Eed 

 Eiver ; and Mr. Kumlien and Dr. Hoy in Wisconsin. JNIr. Mcllwraith 

 also gives it as common at Hamilton, West Canada. It breeds as far south 

 as Pennsylvania, and as far to the west as Utah, and occurs, in the breeding 

 season, throughout Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada. 



Mr. Eidgway found this thrush very abundant among the thickets in the 

 valleys of the Provo, Weber, and Bear rivers, in Utah, and very character- 

 istic of those portions of the country. 



It arrives in Massachusetts early in May, usually with the first blossoms 

 of the pear, ranging from the 5th to the 20tli. It is strictly of woodland 

 habits, found almost entirely among clumps of trees, and obtaining its food 

 from among their branches, or on the ground among the fallen leaves. It 

 moves south from the 10th to the 25tli of September, rarely remaining till 

 the first week in October. 



It is timid, distrustful, and retiring ; delighting in shady ravines, the edges 

 of thick close woods, and occasionally the more retired parts of gardens ; 

 where, if unmolested, it will frequent the same locality year after year. 



The song of this thrush is quaint, but not unmusical ; variable in its 

 character, changing from a prolonged and monotonous whistle to quick 

 and almost shrill notes at the close. Their melody is not unfrequently 

 prolonged until quite late in the evening, and, in consequence, in some 

 portions of Massachusetts these birds are distinguished with the name of 

 Nightingale, — a distinction due rather to the season than to the high quality 

 of their song. Yet Mr. Eidgway regards it, as heard by himself in Utah, 

 as superior in some respects to that of all others of the genus, though far 

 surpassed in mellow richness of voice and depth of metallic tone by that of 

 the Wood Thrush {T. mvsteliniis). To his ear there was a solemn harmony 

 and a beautiful expression wdiich combined to make the song of this surpass 

 that of all the other American Wood Thrushes. The beauty of their notes 

 appeared in his ears " really inspiring ; their song consisting of an inex- 

 pressibly delicate metallic utterance of the syllables ta-iucel' ah, ta-u-ccl' ah, 

 tivil' ah, twil' ah, accompanied by a fine trill which renders it truly se- 

 ductive." The last two notes are said to be uttered in a soft and subdued 

 undertone, producing thereby, in effect, an echo of the others. 



The nest is always i:»laced near the ground, generally raised from it by 

 a thick bed of dry leaves or sticks ; sometimes among bushes, but never in 

 the fork of a bush or tree, or if so, in veiy rare and exceptional cases. 



