WOOD THRUSH. 



25 



notes of the wood thrush thrill through the dropping woods, 

 from morning to night ; and it may truly be said, that the 

 sadder the day the sweeter is his song. 



The favourite haunts of the wood thrush are low, thick 

 shaded hollows, through which a small brook or rill meanders, 

 overhung with alder bushes, that are mantled with wild vines. 

 Near such a scene lie generally builds his nest, in a laurel 

 or alder bush. Outwardly it is composed of withered beech 

 leaves of the preceding year, laid at bottom in considerable 

 quantities, no doubt to prevent damp and moisture from 

 ascending through, being generally built in low, wet situa- 

 tions ; above these are layers of knotty stalks of withered 

 grass, mixed with mud, and smoothly plastered, above which 

 is laid a slight lining of fine black fibrous roots of plants. 

 The eggs are four, sometimes five, of a uniform light blue, 

 without any spots. 



The wood thrush appears always singly or in pairs, and is 

 of a shy, retired, unobtrusive disposition. With the modesty 

 of true merit, he charms you with his song, but is content, 

 and even solicitous, to be concealed. He delights to trace the 

 irregular windings of the brook, where, by the luxuriance of 

 foliage, the sun is completely shut out, or only plays in a few 

 interrupted beams on the glittering surface of the water. He 

 is also fond of a particular species of lichen which grows in 

 such situations, and which, towards the fall, I have uniformly 

 found in their stomachs : berries, however, of various kinds, 

 are his principal food, as well as beetles and caterpillars. The 

 feathers on the hind head are longer than is usual with birds 

 which have no crest ; these he sometimes erects ; but this 

 particular cannot be observed but on a close examination.* 



Those who have paid minute attention to the singing of 

 birds know well that the voice, energy, and expression, in 

 the same tribe, differ as widely as the voices of different indi- 



* In addition to the ahove picture of the manners of this thrush, Mr 

 Audubon remarks, that it performs its migrations during the day, gliding 

 swiftly through the woods, without appearing in the open country ; 



