IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 87 



Only once have I found the two species in the 

 same neighborhood. That was near the Breezy 

 Point House, on the side of Mount Moosilauke ; 

 but this place is so peculiarly romantic, with its 

 noble amphitheatre of hills, that I could not 

 wonder neither species was willing to yield the 

 ground entirely to the other ; and even here it 

 was to be noticed that the hermits were in or 

 near the .sugar-grove, while the Swainsons were 

 in the forest, far off in an opposite direction. 1 



It is these birds, if any, whose music reaches 

 the ears of the ordinary mountain tourist. 

 Every man who is known among his acquaint- 

 ances to have a little knowledge of such things 

 is approached now and then with the question, 

 " What bird was it, Mr. So-and-So, that I heard 

 singing up in the mountains ? I did n't see 

 him ; he was always ever so far off ; but his 

 voice was wonderful, so sweet and clear and 

 loud ! " As a rule it may safely be taken for 

 granted that such interrogatories refer either 

 to the Swainson thrush or to the hermit. The 

 inquirer is very likely disposed to be incredu- 

 lous when he is told that there are birds in his 

 own woods whose voice is so like that of his 

 admired New Hampshire songster that, if he 

 were to hear the two together, he would not at 



1 I have since found both species at Willoughby Lake, Vermont, 

 and the veery with them. 



