SONG BIliDS OF OliCHARD AND WOODLAND. 157 



-AVils3on'8 Thrush, two-thirds 

 natural size. 



land, is ainoiig the earliest notes of the morning, and is often 



heard during the day and in the dusk of evening. It consists 



of several ringing phrases or tri})lets, which its name Veery 



describes fairly well. It is not so full-toned as the songs of 



other Thrushes, but has an attenuated sound. Robert Ridg- 



way expresses the quality of the phrases by 



the sy Rallies " tau'eeVaJi, tawed' ah 



ah, twil-ah.'' The last two phrase^ 



lower in tone than the first, and ei 



with a vibrating chord which su< 



o;ests the vanishina^ of the note 



into ethereal space. The 



melody often has a muffled 



sound when heard near by, 



but at a distance it seems 



to ring out clear. To be ^ 



fully appreciated, this song pig. 45 _ 



must be heard when one is 



alone in the deep woods, among the falling shades of the 



coming night. It breathes the spirit of the dying da}'. 



Sometimes at evening these Thrush songs reply to one 



another like echoes in the moonlight. 



The bird sings soon after its arrival in May, and usually 

 ceases when the molting period begins. It sings little dur- 

 inof a lonof drouofht, Imt becomes vocal after a rain. The 

 ordinary note of the Veery is a sort of irJiee-oo, half chirp, 

 half whistle, Avhich often has a peculiarly liquid sound. It 

 has also a sharp chick, a prolonged, bleating (^aa/', and other 

 occasional cries. 



The Veery feeds very largely on insects. Those which 

 frequent the ground and the lower })arts of trees are com- 

 monly sought. Ants, ground beetles, curculios, and grass- 

 hoppers are favorites. It goes to the fields sometimes at 

 early morning, probably in search of beetles, cutworms, and 

 earthworms. It has been seen, now and then, to eat the 

 hairy caterpillars of the gipsy moth. It feeds considerably 

 in the trees, and so takes many caterpillars ; but is not usu- 

 ally seen much in gardens or orchards, except such as are 

 situated near woods. In summer and fall it eats wild fruit, 



