THRUSHES. 195 
unpleasantly ; depressing doubts creep into your 
mind. But with the thrushes the case is reversed. 
You can write essays in your note-book while they 
sit and look at you. You can arrange their songs 
in flats and sharps to suit your fancy, and they 
will not demur. 
Doubtless, you must treat them with respect. 
‘But whoever thought of making a noise in the 
presence of a philosopher, or taking liberties with 
a sage? You feel flattered by being allowed to 
watch them at a distance, and when you get home 
and find Ridgway’s Manual ready to indorse your 
identifications, your self-respect is restored. 
With the thrushes, our pigeon-holes are filled, 
and it will be well to glance over their labels 
again before leaving them: No. 1, flycatchers ; 
No. 2, crows, jays, ete. ; No. 3, blackbirds, orioles, 
etc. ; No. 4, sparrows, finches, etc.; No. 5, tana- 
gers; No. 6, swallows; No. 7, waxwings, etc.; No. 
8, vireos; No. 9, wood warblers ; No. 10, wrens, 
thrashers, ete.; No. 11, creepers; No. 12, nut- 
hatches and titmice ; No. 13, kinglets, etc.; No. 
14, thrushes, ete. What a contrast between the 
birds in the first hole and those in the last — 
what a distance between the bony, awkward fly- 
catchers, with their undeveloped voices, and the 
shapely dignified thrushes, the nightingales of 
America ! 
But in their order, the birds of most of the 
pigeon-holes show some obvious, external relation 
