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 tlie river," said 

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

 before it grows dark." 



'' Veeries ? Is that Avhat 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 AVilson, 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 w^ill 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 Robin — length about 

 eio'ht inches. 



Upper parts warm broAvn, 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 



Commouly called Yeery from the souud of one of its notes 



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

 along the footpath that Avound in and out among the 

 trees toward the edge of the river. Swallows were 



