254 VEERY. 



brighter plumage, more striking voices, and more inter- 

 esting liabits, but there are none whose bearing is more dis- 

 tinguished, whose songs are more spirituaL The brilHant 

 Ilummingliirds and Tanagers excite our admiration, but 

 tlie gentle, retiring Thrushes appeal to our higher emo- 

 tions ; their music gives voice to our noblest aspirations. 



Five of the true Thrushes of the genus Ttirdus are 

 found in eastern ISTorth America. Three of them may 

 be meutioneil here — the Veery, Wood Thrush, and Her- 

 mit Thrush — a peerless trio of songsters. The Veerj's 

 mysterious voice vibrates through the air in pulsating 

 circles of song, like the strains of an ^olian harp. The 

 Wood Thrush's notes are ringing and bell-like ; he sounds 

 the matin and vesper chimes of day, while the Hermit's 

 hymn echoes through the woods like the swelling tones 

 of an organ in some vast cathedral. 



Uut it is impossible to so describe these songs that 

 their charm will Ije understood. Fortunately, all three 

 birds are abundant, and a brief account of their haunts 

 and habits will enable any one to find them. 



The Veery, or Wilson's Thrush, winters in Central 



America, and nests from northern Illinois and northern 



Veerv New Jersey northward to Manitoba and 



Tuniusfusascens. Newfoundland and southward along the 



Plate LXXiii. AUeglianies to North Carolina. It comes 



to us in the spring, about May 1, and remains until Sep- 



temljer 15. Near the middle of May it begins to build its 



nest, placing it on or near the ground. Its eggs are 



greenish blue, and reseml)le in color those of the Wood 



Tlu'ush, but are slightly smaller. 



The Yeery's favoi'ite haunts are low, dam]:) woods 

 with an abuTidant undei'growth. It is a more retiring 

 bird than the Wood Thrush, and is i-arely seen far from 

 tracts (.)f woodland. It is to be distinguished from our 

 other Thrushes by the uniform cinnaniou color of its 



