288 The Wood Thrush 



in the year 1913, absolutely prohibits the killing of these birds at all 

 seasons in all parts of the country. 



Thus the bird now dwells beneath the combined protection of the 

 Government and the several States. As most of this bird's life is passed 



on the ground or among the shrubbery, we would 

 Food naturally expect it to eat those small forms of life 



found in such situations. Practically any insect which 

 it comes upon in its apparently aimless travels about the groves and 

 tbickets is doomed to speedy destruction, unless escape is instantly ef- 

 fected. 



Beetles that inhabit the ground or the bark of trees are eaten, as 

 well as grasshoppers, snails, spiders, and the larvae of many moths and 

 other succulent insects. Now and then the bird steals into the garden to 

 take a gooseberry or blackberry, but if the earth has bfeen recently 

 spaded it shows a decided preference for any cutworm, or ; crfher under- 

 ground worm of similar character, that may have been exposed to the 

 light of day. Wood Thrushes eat wild fruit and berries to some extent, 

 but their characteristic shyness evidently prevents them from acquiring 

 that intimacy with mankind which would tend to make them feel as much 

 at home in the cherry tree as does our dear, but at times annoying, Robin. 

 There are few birds which make so strong an appeal to the nature 

 lover as does the Wood Thrush. Many are the things to be said in its 

 favor, and rare, indeed, is it to find anyone who, knowing this shy sylvan 

 beauty, has aught to say against it. It is one of the few well-known 

 birds which is universally popular, and it deserves all the protection 

 which mankind can give it. 



All wild creatures, of course, have their enemies. Snakes, weasels, 

 hawks, and owls are among what we may call the natural enemies of 

 small birds. Against these destroyers our feathered friends have for 



long centuries been able to hold their own in numbers. 

 Enemies Mankind, however, has brought many changes in the 



wild-life conditions of the country, and. while we 

 have destroyed many of the creatures which formerly thinned the Wood 

 Thrush ranks, we have introduced others whose destructive effects are 

 vastly more potent. Here is the tragic trio which zve have let loose upon 

 American wild-bird life: the sling-shot boy, the all-eating Italian, and 

 the ravenous house-cat. 



Classification and Distribution 



The Wood Thrush belongs to the Order Passeres, Suborder Oscines, Family 

 Turdidcc, and Subfamily Turdince. Its scientific name is Hylocichla mustelina. It 

 1 -reeds from southern South Dakota and southern New Hampshire, south to eastern 

 Texas and northern Florida, and winters from southern Mexico to Nicaragua and 

 Costa Rica, occurring casually in winter as far north as New Jersey. 



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