142 SCRAPING ACQUAINTANCE. 
was entirely unacquainted with it, and though 
all our books affirmed that the Alice thrush 
was not a summer resident of any part of the 
United States. 
It is worth remarking, also, in this connec- 
tion, that the Hylocichle differ more decidedly 
in their notes of alarm than in their songs. 
The wood thrush’s call is extremely sharp and 
brusque, and is usually fired off in a little vol- 
ley; that of the Wilson is a sort of whine, or 
snarl, in distressing contrast with his song ; the 
hermit’s is a quick, sotto voce, sometimes almost 
inaudible chuck ; the Swainson’s is a mellow 
whistle ; while that of the Alice is something 
between the Swainson’s and the Wilson’s, — 
not so gentle and refined as the former, nor so 
outrageously vulgar as the latter. 
In what is here said about discriminating 
species it must be understood that I am not 
speaking of such identification as will answer 
a strictly scientific purpose. For that the bird 
must be shot. To the maiden 
‘¢whose light blue eyes 
Are tender over drowning flies,’’ 
this decree will no doubt sound cruel. Men who 
pass laws of that sort may call themselves orni- 
thologists, if they will; for her part she calls them 
butchers. We might turn on our fair accuser, it 
is true, with some inquiry about the two or three 
