SONG BIBBS OF OECHAED AND WOODLAND. 



157 



It is not so full-toned as the songs of 



Robert Rido- 



land, is among 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 triplets, which its name Veery 



describes fairly well 



other Thrushes, but has an attenuated sound 



way expresses the quality of the phrases by 



the syllables " taiceeTaJi, taweeVaJt, 



ah, hvil-ah.'' The last two phrases 



lower in tone than the first, and en 



with a vibrating chord which su 



o^ests the vanishino^ of the note 



into ethereal space. The 



-Wilson's Thrush, two-thirds 

 natural size. 



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 j, ig. 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- 

 ing a long drought, but becomes vocal after a rain. The 

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

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

 has also a sharp chick, a, prolonged, bleating waaA, and other 

 occasional cries. 



The Veery feeds very largely on insects. Those which 

 frequent the ground and the lower parts 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, 



