THRUSHES. 195 



unpleasantly ; depressing doubts creep into your 

 mind. But with the thrushes the case is reversed. 

 You can write essays in your note-book while they 

 sit and look at you. You can arrange their songs 

 in flats and sharps to suit your fancy, and they 

 will not demur. 



Doubtless, you must treat them with respect. 

 But whoever thought of making a noise in the 

 presence of a philosopher, or taking liberties with 

 a sage? You feel flattered by being allowed to 

 watch them at a distance, and when you get home 

 and find Kidgway's Manual ready to indorse your 

 identifications, your self-respect is restored. 



With the thrushes, our pigeon-holes are filled, 

 and it will be well to glance over their labels 

 again before leaving them : No. 1, flycatchers ; 

 No. 2, crows, jays, etc. ; No. 3, blackbirds, orioles, 

 etc. ; No. 4, sparrows, finches, etc. ; No. 5, tana- 

 gers ; No. 6, swallows ; No. 7, waxwings, etc. ; No. 

 8, vireos ; No. 9, wood warblers ; No. 10, wrens, 

 thrashers, etc. ; No. 11, creepers ; No. 12, nut- 

 hatches and titmice ; No. 13, kinglets, etc. ; No. 

 14, thrushes, etc. What a contrast between the 

 birds in the first hole and those in the last 

 what a distance between the bony, awkward fly- 

 catchers, with their undeveloped voices, and the 

 shapely dignified thrushes, the nightingales of 

 America ! 



But in their orcler, the birds of most of the 

 pigeon-holes show some obvious, external relation 



