songster, but it is not associated with 

 the bird. This need not be the case, 

 for it may be studied in the wooded 

 parks and lawns of cities and towns. 

 There it may warble its "silvery 

 phrases," and there it has even been 

 known to nest in quiet neighborhoods. 

 It must be remembered, however, that 

 while it may lose some of its wood- 

 land shyness, it has a solitary disposi- 

 tion and v'ill not permit unseemly ap- 

 proach or boisterousness in its' presence. 

 The Wood Thrushes breed from 

 Virginia, Kentucky and Kansas north- 

 ward to Vermont, Ontario and Minne- 

 sota, and they winter in Central Amer- 

 ica and Cuba. Their nests are usually 

 placed on a nearly horizontal branch, 

 or in a crotch of a sapling from five 

 to fifteen feet above the ground. The 

 bulky nests are quite similar to those 

 of the robins but are slightly deeper. 

 They are made of dead leaves, twigs, 

 weed-stalks, small roots, paper, rags 

 and other suitable trash which may be 

 at hand. These materials are well in- 

 terwoven and the cavity is carefully 

 plastered with mud and lined with fine 

 rootlets. It is said that a well located 

 nest may be occupied for several years, 

 being repaired each season. Mr. Bur- 

 roughs has said: "Our thrushes are 

 all frank, open-mannered birds," and 



our Wood Thrush "builds as openly and 

 unsuspiciously as if it thought the whole 

 world as honest as itself." There is no 

 doubt that in many localities this Thrush 

 suffers more from the depredations of 

 crows, jays, squirrels and other ene- 

 mies than any other bird. Throughout 

 its nesting range, however, probably 

 the worst obstacle to its increase is 

 the imposition of the piratical cowbird. 

 It is unfortunate that the Thrushes so 

 quietly submit to the duty of brooding 

 these parasites. Perhaps they are eas- 

 ily deluded, or possibly they patiently 

 submit to what seems to them inevitable 

 conditions imposed by Nature. The care 

 of the young, vigorous cowbirds would 

 probably demand a large part of the 

 attention of the faithful parent birds 

 and their true offspring would neces- 

 sarily suffer. The Wood Thrushes 

 should be protected and their nesting 

 in his vicinity encouraged by the farmer 

 and gardener. This has been proven 

 by the- investigation of Dr. S. A. Forbes 

 who has found that they do more good 

 and less harm, by eating a larger num- 

 ber of insects and less fruit, than the 

 robin, catbird and brown • thrasher. 

 Then, too, in addition to the good they 

 may do to our crops, we may also 

 listen to the unrivaled voice of these 



FOR THY HEART'S HEALING. 



Stay here awhile ! 

 The buds in plentitude 



Give joyous promise. Through the fresh green wood 

 The winds are straying, where dark Sorrow stood. 

 In ashen garments, her gown's hem with teardrops wet, 

 Spring, from her gathered apron spills the violet, 



And lights the broad earth with her winsome smile. 



Stay then, and listen to the robin's call. 



Or by the gray shrine of some low stone wall, 



O'er which the red-winged blackbirds curve and cry, 



Keep Nature tryst, and let the world go by! 



— Mrs. Cora A. Matson Dolson. 



