THE HERMIT THRUSH 159 



and birches till it reaches our maple orchard. 

 There it takes on a more cheerful but scarcely 

 more beautiful aspect, as it moves placidly toward 

 the river. It has its waterfalls, its rapids, its pools, 

 and its shallows. The colors of the cascades are 

 charming gray-blue, old gold, and emerald, the 

 pink-buff granite fringed with the white crystal 

 water! They are never to be forgotten. 



"The hermit thrush is constantly singing over 

 our woodland brook, sometimes in the high tops 

 of our maples, sometimes among the low dog- 

 woods. His flute-like music is extraordinary for 

 its brilliancy and rapidity. His song motives are 

 few, but exceed in mastery of thirds and fifths 

 that of any bird singer the world has ever known. 

 Take my word for it, he * out-nightingales the 

 nightingale ! ' " 



In some parts of New Hampshire the hermit 

 thrush is lovingly known to the farmer folk as the 

 "fife-bird," and as they listen to his music their 

 cares are forgotten. Wanderers from their native 

 granite hills are loyal to the bird and speak of 

 him with a tenderness that brings a thrill and a 

 tear. 



