on the Hermit Thrush a?id Wilson's Thrush.



179



“ five-eights in breadth ; being thus not distinguishable from the

Veery.”


I am quite in love with my Hermits, of which I have five.

Graceful in their movements, they are also extremely fearless

-and gentle, as well as apparently hardy in captivity, for two of mine

have passed the winter in an outdoor aviary, and I have seen

them bathing when the sun was setting on a gloomy afternoon

in December or January. They keep themselves in beautiful

condition, looking sleek and compact.


In my bird-room one of them will hop about as un¬

concernedly as if he were in the depths of his far-off forest

home, ever watchful for the opening of the mealworm or cock¬

roach box, flitting to one’s feet witli noiseless wings, his large

brown eyes expectantly watching.


In January one Hermit commenced to sing, of course he

sang sotto voce , but there were the sweet pure tinkling notes and

stanzas ; short stanzas following quickly one upon another, yet

uttered very deliberately; a voice quite unlike any of our

English birds.


Another of my Hermits suddenly commenced to moult

in January, a complete, quick, healthy moult ; which I presume

was an abnormal one, yet his food is the same as that of the

•others, although it is true that he lives in my sitting-room where

the temperature in winter is higher than in the bird-room.*


Viewed from the back, a Hermit Thrush when hopping on

the ground is exceedingly like a Nightingale, both in colouring

and style, only rather larger.



* Since writing- this account another Hermit Thrush has moulted in February.

The change of feathers has been a complete one, so that one may presume the vernal moult

to be normal in this species.


Usually when birds have a fresh plumage in the spring, there is a change of colouring,

as in the case of the Rock Thrush (Petiocincla saxatilis ), but if I remember right, the

primaries and tail feathers are not shed, which are so with the Hermit Thrush. In the

latter species however there is no marked change of colour, the breast spots maybe some¬

what larger and bolder, though on the other hand, this may be due to the freshness of the

feathers.


Again, as I have only had my Hermit Thrushes since the commencement of

November, 1908, I have had no opportunity of observing the autumnal moult. The vernal

moult may possibly be a little premature with the caged birds, for the two out-of-door

birds have shown no signs of casting their feathers up to the time of writing [Mid-

February] and I have been out of England since then.



