BIRDS OF THE PASTURE AND FOREST. 119 



from the Veery, which is seldom heard except in swamps, 

 while the Hermit almost invariably occupies high and dry 

 woods. 



The Hermit-Thrush delights in a shady retreat ; he is 

 indeed a true anchorite ; he is evidently inspired by soli- 

 tude, and sings no less in gloomy weather than in sun- 

 shine. Yet I think he is no lover of twilight, though 

 pleased with the darkness of shady woods; for at the 

 time when the Veery is most musical, he is generally 

 silent. He is remarkable, also, for prolonging his musical 

 season to near the end of summer. Late in August, when 

 other birds have become silent, he is almost the only 

 songster in the wood. 



The song of the Hermit consists of several different 

 strains, or bars, as they would be called in the gamut. I 

 have not determined the exact number, but I am confident 

 there are seven or eight, many of them remarkable for the 

 clearness of their intonations. After each strain he makes 

 a full pause, perhaps not more than three or four seconds, 

 and the listener must be very attentive, or he will lose 

 many of the notes. I think the effect of this sylvan mu- 

 sic is somewhat diminished by the pauses or rests. It 

 may be said, however, that during each pause our suscep- 

 tibility is increased, and we are thus prepared to be more 

 deeply affected by the next notes. Some of these are 

 full and sonorous, like the sound of a fife ; others lisping, 

 and somewhat like the chink made by shaking a few thin 

 metallic plates in your hand. This lisping strain always 

 comes regularly in its course. I can imagine that if all 

 these different strains were warbled continuously, they 

 would not be equalled by the song of any bird with which 

 I am acquainted. 



Some parts of Nuttall's description of the song of the 

 Hermit, if it be identical with the species called by him 

 the- Song-Thrush, are incorrect. It is not true that his 



