HERMIT THR USH. i g r 



melodus). It is, however, considerably less, very differently 

 marked, and altogether destitute of the clear voice and musical 

 powers of that charming minstrel. It also differs in remaining 

 in the southern States during the whole year ; whereas the wood 

 thrush does not winter even in Georgia, nor arrive within 

 the southern boundary of that State until some time in April. 



The hermit thrush is rarely seen in Pennsylvania, unless 

 for a few weeks in spring, and late in the fall, long after the 

 wood thrush has left us, and when scarcely a summer bird 

 remains in the woods. In both seasons it is mute, having 

 only in spring an occasional squeak, like that of a young stray 

 chicken. Along the Atlantic coast, in New Jersey, they 

 remain longer and later, as I have observed them there late 

 in November. In the cane swamps of the Choctaw nation, 

 they were frequent in the month of May, on the 12th of which 

 I examined one of their nests on a horizontal branch, imme- 

 diately over the path. The female was sitting, and left it 

 with great reluctance, so that I had nearly laid my hand on 

 her before she flew. The nest was fixed on the upper part 

 of the body of the branch, and constructed with great neat- 

 ness, but without mud or plaster, contrary to the custom of 

 the wood thrush. The outside was composed of a consider- 

 able quantity of coarse rooty grass, intermixed with horse 

 hair, and lined with a fine, green-coloured, thread-like grass, 

 perfectly dry, laid circularly, with particular neatness. The 

 eggs were four, of a pale greenish blue, marked with specks 

 and blotches of olive, particularly at the great end. I also 

 observed this bird on the banks of the Cumberland river in 

 April. Its food consists chiefly of berries, of which these low 

 swamps furnish a perpetual abundance, such as those of the 

 holly, myrtle, gall bush (a species of vaccinium), yapon shrub, 

 and many others. 



A superficial observer would instantly pronounce this to 

 be only a variety of the wood thrush ; but taking into consi- 

 deration its difference of size, colour, manners, want of song, 

 secluded habits, differently formed nest, and spotted eggs, all 



