Wood and Wilson's Thrushes 677 



The Ring Ouzel, sometimes called the Mountain Blackbird (T. torquatus], 

 is an easily recognized bird, its entire plumage being brownish black set off by 

 a crescent-shaped mark of white across the chest and an orange bill. It spends 

 the summer on the moors and pine-clad highlands of northern Europe, and the 

 winters in central and southern Europe, there often frequenting cultivated 

 fields and gardens, where its habits are much like those of its relative, the Black- 

 bird. Its nest is also like that of the Blackbird, being usually placed in a low 

 bush, in banks, or on the ground. The song is powerful and far-reaching but is 

 rather monotonous and altogether not of a high order. A well-marked geo- 

 graphical race (T. alpestris), with the feathers of the lower parts white-margined, 

 ccurs in the Alps of central and southern Europe. 



Wood Thrush. Beyond doubt the best singers of the entire subfamily are 

 to be found within the genus Hylocichla, all of the twelve forms of which are 

 atives of North America. They have usually been placed with the members 

 f the last genus, but are much smaller and more slender birds, with relatively 

 much longer tarsi and smaller bill, their plumage being plain, usually uniform 

 brown above and whitish or buffy boldly spotted with brown or blackish beneath. 

 Of these the Wood Thrush (H. mustelina) of the eastern United States is easily 

 distinguished by the bright cinnamon of the anterior upper parts and con- 

 spicuously spotted breast and sides. It is a gentle, lovable bird, rather shunning 

 the noisy haunts of man and preferring low damp woodlands especially where 

 there are dense patches of undergrowth into which he can plunge when alarmed. 

 He is tamer than many of his relatives, permitting a quiet approach and inspec- 

 tion, but if too closely pressed, retreats with a sharp cry of alarm, which becomes 

 still louder and more anxious if the nest or young are threatened. But it is when 

 perched on some tree- top that he pours forth his exquisite song, which, "although 

 composed of but few notes, is so powerful, distinct, clear, and mellow that it is 

 impossible for any person to hear it without being struck by the effect which it 

 produces on the mind. I do not know to what instrumental sounds I can com- 

 pare these notes, for I really know none so melodious and harmonious." 

 AUDUBON. The nest, which is usually placed in a bush or low sapling a few 

 feet from the ground, is composed of grass stems, weed stalks, strips of bark 

 and leaves, with an inner wall of mud and a lining of rootlets and soft grass. 

 The eggs are from three to five in number and of a greenish blue color. The 

 Wood Thrush spends the winter months mostly in Central America, and reaches 

 his northern home about the middle of May, where his presence is announced 

 by the ever welcome song. 



The Wilson's Thrush, or Veery ( H. fuscescens), also of eastern North America, 

 is smaller than the last, has the entire upper parts cinnamon-brown, the middle 

 of the throat, abdomen, and sides white, and the sides of the throat and breast 

 with small, wedge-shaped spots or streaks of brown. Much shyer and more 

 retiring than the Wood Thrush, it frequents low, damp woodlands, spending 

 most of its time on the ground. "The Veery's usual call note," says Mr. Chap- 

 man, "is a clearly whistled wheeu, which can be closely imitated; his song is a 

 weird, ringing monotone of blended alto and soprano notes. Neither notes nor 



