32 HERMIT THRUSH. 



chicken which has lost its mother. This very bird I found numerous 

 in the myrtle swamps of Carolina in the depth of winter, and I have 

 not a doubt of its being the same which is described by Edwards and 

 Catesby. 



As the Count de Buifon has drawn his description from those above 

 mentioned, the same observations apply equally to what he has said on 

 the sulyect ; and the fanciful theory which this writer had formed to 

 account for its want of song, vanishes into empty air ; viz., that the 

 Song Thrush of Europe {Turdus musicus) had, at some time after the 

 creation, rambled round by the Northern Ocean, and made its way to 

 America; that advancing to the south it had there (of consequence) 

 become degenerated by change of food and climate, so that its cry is 

 now harsh and unpleasant, " as are the cries of all birds that live in 

 wild countries inhabited by savages."* 



For a figure and description of this passenger Thrush see the follow- 

 ing species. 



Species IV. TURDUS SOLITARIUS.f 



HERMIT THRUSH. 



[Plate XLIII. Fig. 2.] 



Liiile Thrush, Catesbt, i., 31. — Edwards, 296. — Brown Thrush, Arci. Zool. 337, 



No. 199. 



The dark solitary cane and myrtle swamps of the Southern States are 

 the favorite native haunts of this silent and recluse species, and the 

 more deep and gloomy these are, the more certain we are to meet with 

 this bird flitting among them. This is the species mentioned while 

 treating of the Wood Thrush, as having been figured and described more 

 than fifty years ago by Edwards, from a dried specimen sent him by my 

 friend Mr. William Bartram, under the supposition that it was the 

 Wood Thrush [Turdus melodus). It is however considerably less, very 

 differently marked, and altogether destitute of the clear voice and musi- 

 cal powers of that charming minstrel. It also differs in remaining in the 

 Southern States during the whole year ; whereas the Wood Thrush does 



* Buffon, vol. iii., 289. The figure in PI, Enl. 398, has little or no resemblance 

 to the Wood Thrush, being of a deep green olive above, and spotted to the very 

 vent, with long streaks of brown. 



t Turdus minor, Gmelin, which name having the priority must be adopted. 



We add the following synonymes : — T. minor, Gm. Si/st. i., p. 809. — Lath. Syn. 

 m., p. 20, No. 5. — Mauuis de la Caroline, Buff. PI. Enl. 5.56, fig. 2. Turdus fuscris, 

 Gmel. Syst. I., p. 817.— Lath. Syn. in., p. 28, No. 16. 



