A Bouquet of Song Birds 
as the wood thrush certainly is, should invariably 
hold himself at so cool, self-possessed, and lofty 
an altitude. Yet he isso deeply satisfying, even 
in his glorious reserve, and fills so important a 
place in the woodland chorus, that it seems un- 
grateful to speak a single word in disparage- 
ment. 
It is a cause of great regret that in this lati- 
tude we cannot enjoy the vocal gifts of that 
transient visitor in spring, the hermit thrush, 
by every aspect of plumage, form, and melody, 
holding the acknowledged supremacy among 
his native kindred. We have no species to 
which we can more properly apply the remark 
once made of a celebrated cardinal in Italy— 
‘No wonder if he loved music, seeing that 
everything in his own character was harmony.’’ 
However, his first cousin, the Wilson thrush, or 
veery, whose peculiarities will be referred to in 
another chapter, is a notable singer, and in 
some measure supplies the lack of the more 
spiritual ‘* hermit.’’ 
While the wood thrush was already, on the 
occasion of this excursion, in full song, the 
‘‘veery’’ was only in. the incipient stage of 
frequent and suggestive call-notes, thrushy in 
quality, but unmistakably petulant, as if work- 
* 
