THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS. 23 



The absence of all birds of prey, and the great number 

 of flies and insects, both the result of proximity to the 

 village, are considerations which no hawk-fearing, 

 peace-loving minstrel passes over lightly ; hence the 

 popularity of the resort. 



But the crowning glory of all these robins, fly-catch- 

 ers, and warblers is the wood-thrush. More abundant 

 than all other birds, except the robin and cat-bird, he 

 greets you from every rock and shrub. Shy and re- 

 served when he first makes his appearance in May, 

 before the end of June he is tame and familiar, and 

 sings on the tree over your head, or on the rock a few 

 paces in advance. A pair even built their nest and 

 reared their brood within ten or twelve feet of the 

 piazza of a large summer-house in the vicinity. But 

 when the guests commenced to arrive and the piazza 

 to be thronged with gay crowds, I noticed something 

 like dread and foreboding in the manner of the mother- 

 bird j and from her still, quiet ways, and habit of sit- 

 ting long and silently within a few feet of the precious 

 charge, it seemed as if the dear creature had resolved, 

 if possible, to avoid all observation. 



If we take the quality of melody as the test, the 

 wood-thrush, hermit-thrush, and the veery-thrush, stand 

 at the head of our list of songsters. 



The mocking-bird undoubtedly possesses the great- 

 est range of mere talent, the most varied executive 

 ability, and never fails to surprise and delight one 

 anew at each hearing; but being mostly an imitator, 



