SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 157 
land, is among the earliest notes of the morning, and is often 
heard during the day and in the dusk of evening. It consists 
of several ringing phrases or triplets, which its name Veery 
describes fairly well. It is not so full-toned as the songs of 
other Thrushes, but has an attenuated sound. Robert Ridg- 
way expresses the quality of the phrases by 
the syllables “¢taweel'ah, taweel'ah, twil- 4 
ah, twil-ah.” The last two phrases are 
lower in tone than the first, and end 
with a vibrating chord which sug- 
gests the vanishing of the note 
into ethereal space. The 
melody often has a muffled 
sound when heard near by, 
but at a distance it seems 
to ring out clear. To be 
fully appreciated, this song Fig. 46.—Wilson’s Thrush, two-thirds 
must be heard when one is a a 
alone in the deep woods, among the falling shades of the 
coming night. It breathes the spirit of the dying day. 
Sometimes at evening these Thrush songs reply to one 
another like echoes in the moonlight. 
The bird sings soon after its arrival in May, and usually 
ceases when the molting period begins. It sings little dur- 
ing a long drought, but becomes vocal after a rain. The 
ordinary note of the Veery is a sort of whee-oo, half chirp, 
half whistle, which often has a peculiarly liquid sound. It 
has also a sharp chick, a prolonged, bleating aaah, and other 
occasional cries. 
The Veery feeds very largely on insects. Those which 
frequent the ground and the lower parts of trees are com- 
monly sought. Ants, ground beetles, curculios, and grass- 
hoppers are favorites. It goes to the fields sometimes at 
early morning, probably in search of beetles, cutworms, and 
earthworms. It has been seen, now and then, to eat the 
hairy caterpillars of the gipsy moth. It feeds considerably 
in the trees, and so takes many caterpillars; but is not usu- 
ally seen much in gardens or orchards, except such as are 
situated near woods. In summer and fall it eats wild fruit, 
