A YEAR IN THE FIELDS 



etc., come in March ; but these two ground- 

 birds are seldom heard till toward the last 

 of April. The ground-birds are all tree- 

 singers or air singers ; they must hav^e an 

 elevated stage to speak from. Our long- 

 tailed thrush, or thrasher, like its congeners 

 the catbird and mocking-bird, delights in a 

 high branch of some solitary tree, whence it 

 will pour out its rich and intricate warble for 

 an hour together. This bird is the great 

 American chipper. There is no other bird 

 that I know of that can chip with such em- 

 phasis and military decision as this yellow- 

 eyed songster. It is like the click of a giant 

 gun-lock. Why is the thrasher so stealthy ? 

 It always seems to be going about on tiptoe. 

 I never knew it to steal anything, and yet it 

 skulks and hides like a fugitive from justice. 

 One never sees it flying aloft in the air and 

 traversing the world openly, like most birds, 

 but it darts along fences and through bushes 

 as if pursued by a guilty conscience. Only 

 when the musical fit is upon it does it come 

 up into full view, and invite the world to 

 hear and behold. 



The chewink is a shy bird also, but not 

 stealthy. It is very inquisitive, and sets up 

 a great scratching among the leaves, appar- 



74 



