38 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 
of them revisiting the neighborhood of Boston about the first 
of October, when the wonderful instinct of migration prompts 
them to return to Florida or still further to the South. Ina 
certain township among the White Mountains I have studied 
the habits of these birds, who there inhabit various kinds of 
woodland, particularly those which have swamps or brooks in 
them, but keep nearer the ground, and exhibit much less shy- 
ness in those wild woods than they habitually do, when travel- 
ing. 
In autumn, however, they are much less shy and active than 
they are in spring; and, during the fall-migrations, they may 
be found in woods and copses. There they pick up food from 
the ground and the lower branehes of bushes or trees, since at 
that season there are few winged insects, of a size acceptable 
to them, to be caught in the air, and since before the severer 
frosts of autumn have eome, and before the Hermit Thrushes 
are abundant, a large supply of food suitable to them can be 
found among the dead leaves, many of which have then al- 
ready fallen. 
To resume the remarks just interrupted,— in the woods of 
the White Mountains, they sing almost throughout the sum- 
mer, and often throughout the day, for the old forests of New 
Hampshire are always cool and shady. They more often sing, 
however, in the early morning, or at sunset, as does the Wood 
Thrush, and, like that bird, they frequently perch on a high 
and prominent bough when about to sing. They usually stay 
on their nests rather more boldly than the Hermit Thrushes 
are wont to do, and watch over their young, when they have 
left the nest, with great care, showing as warm an interest in 
their offspring, as I have ever seen displayed in birds. 
(d). The ordinary note of the Swainson’s Thrushes, espec- 
ially when in their summer-homes, is an attractive one, exactly 
resembling the word “whit” brusquely whistled in a tolerably 
low tone, and very quickly. Their song-notes exhibit less 
variation than those of any of their immediate relations, being 
all nearly on the same pitch, and reminding one forcibly of the 
less brilliant singers among the Wood Thrushes, and bearing 
