SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 157 



Fig. 46. — Wilson's Thrush, two-thirds 

 natural size. 



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- JlMSSSi^ !^ 

 ah, twil-ah." The hist two phrases are M'- iJSpipllf 

 lower in tone than the first, and enrl Jm - 

 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 

 must be heard when one is 

 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, 



