30 HERMIT THRUSH. 



This Thrush is most frequently seen on the ground, where it hops with 

 the same movements employed by the well-known little Red-breast of 

 Europe, in other words, before it hops its breast almost comes in contact 

 with the ground, the tail is a little raised, the wings droop, and after hop- 

 ping, it runs a few steps, erects its head, and looks around. 



All the nests of the Hermit Thrush which I have found were in every 

 instance placed lower on the branches of trees than those of the Wood 

 Thrush, seldom above seven or eight feet from the ground, and sometimes 

 so low that I could easily look into them. These nests were fixed to a 

 horizontal bough, but were not saddled upon it so deeply as those of the 

 Wood Thrush are. They were smaller, and had no mud or plaster of any 

 kind, but were extremely compact, the outer parts being formed of coarse 

 dry weeds, and here and there a withered leaf, the interior composed of a 

 long delicate kind of grass, which is found growing along the edges of cane- 

 brakes. This grass is arranged in a circular manner, to the whole extent of 

 its length, and gives the inner part of the nest of this bird a remarkable 

 appearance of neatness and finish. The female lays from four to six eggs, 

 of a light blue colour, sprinkled with dark dots towards the large end. The 

 first set are laid early in April, the second about the middle of June; for, in 

 Lower Louisiana, this species rears two broods in the year. The female is 

 much attached to her nest, and glides off silently from it when closely 

 approached, not, however, unless she thinks herself or her nest observed. 

 The young run after the parents, on the ground, for several days after they 

 leave the nest. 



As soon as the waters of the Mississippi become so swelled as to overflow 

 the banks, the Hermit Thrush retires to the nearest hills, and mixes with 

 many other birds, amongst which the Wood Thrush is pre-eminent. The 

 former is, however, easily recognised at once, by its single plaintive note, 

 heard from the boughs of low trees, on the berries of which it feeds. In 

 fact, its food is altogether composed of different fruits and berries, which are 

 at all seasons abundant in our woods. 



In the Middle Districts the Hermit Thrush is only observed during a few 

 weeks in the spring, and again in autumn. It arrives in the States of New 

 Jersey and New York between the end of April and the middle of May, 

 generally in a desultory manner, and, throwing itself into the depths of the 

 forests, there spends the summer months, frequenting the lowest and most 

 shady thickets. Its song is sometimes agreeable. 



Hermit Thrush, Turdus solitarius, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. v. p. 95. 



T urdus minor, Bonap. Syn. 5 p. 75. 



Little or Hermit Thrush, Turdus minor, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 346. 



