A Bouquet of Song Birds 



as the wood thrush certainly is, should invariably 

 hold himself at so cool, self-possessed, and lofty 

 an altitude. Yet he is so deeply satisfying, even 

 in his glorious reserve, and fills so important a 

 place in the woodland chorus, that it seems un- 

 grateful to speak a single word in disparage- 

 ment. 



It is a cause of great regret that in this lati- 

 tude we cannot enjoy the vocal gifts of that 

 transient visitor in spring, the hermit thrush, 

 by every aspect of plumage, form, and melody, 

 holding the acknowledged supremacy among 

 his native kindred. We have no species to 

 which we can more properly apply the remark 

 once made of a celebrated cardinal in Italy — 

 "No wonder if he loved music, seeing that 

 everything in his own character was harmony. ' ' 

 However, his first cousin, the Wilson thrash, or 

 veery, whose peculiarities will be referred to in 

 another chapter, is a notable singer, and in 

 some measure supplies the lack of the more 

 spiritual "hermit." 



While the wood thrush was already, on the 

 occasion of this excursion, in full song, the 

 "veery" was only in the incipient stage of 

 frequent and suggestive call-notes, thrushy in 

 quality, but unmistakably petulant, as if work- 



