SPRING 101 



bious, I betook myself again to the Landaff 

 swamp, entering it, as usual, by the wood 

 road at the barn. Many birds were there : 

 a tanager (uncommon hereabout), olive- 

 sided flycatchers, alder flycatchers (first 

 seen on the 23d, and already abundant), a 

 yellow-bellied flycatcher (the recluse of the 

 family), magnolia warblers, Canada war- 

 blers, parula warblers (three beautiful spe- 

 cies), a Tennessee warbler, a Swainson 

 thrush (whistling), a veery (snarling), and 

 many more. The Swainson thrush, by the 

 way, although present, in small numbers 

 apparently, from May 22, was not heard to 

 sing a note until June 1, — ten days of si- 

 lence ! Yet it sings freely on its migration, 

 even as far south as Georgia. Close at hand 

 was a grouse, who performed again and 

 again in what seemed to me a highly origi- 

 nal manner. First he delivered three or 

 four quick beats. Then he rested for a 

 second or two, after wliich he proceeded to 

 drum in the ordinary way, beginning with 

 deliberation, and gradually accelerating the 

 beats, till the ear could no longer follow 

 them, and they became a whir. That pre- 



