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is entirely tawny." The Thrush family has sorely per- 

 plexed former ornithologists, but Bidgway, Stearns, 

 Baird and Coues have left few points now to be cleared 

 up. In 1871, Burroughs wrote, " I am acquainted with 

 scarcely any writer on ornithology whose head is not 

 muddled on the subject of our three prevailing song- 

 thrushes, confounding either their figures or their songs. 

 A writer in the Atlantic (for Dec, 1858) gravely tells 

 us the Wood Thrush is sometimes called the Hermit, 

 and then after describing the song of the Hermit with 

 great tenacity and correctness, cooly ascribes it to the 

 Veery. The new Cyclopaedia, fresh from the study of 

 Audubon, says the Hermit's song consists of a siugle 

 plaintive note, and that the Veery's resembles that of 

 the Wood Thursh. These observations deserve to be 

 preserved with that of the author of " Out-door Papers," 

 who tells us the thrill of the Hair-bird (Fringillia 

 Socialis) is produced by the bird fluttering its wings 

 upon its sides ". In Mr. Burrough's striking chapter. 

 " In the Hemlocks, " we are made acquainted with the 

 entrancing concerts of the Wood- Thrush, the Hermit 

 Thrush and the Blackburnian Warbler. 



" Whilst sitting on the soft-cushioned log, tasting the 

 pungent, acidulous wood-sorel ( Oxalis acetellosa) the blossoms 

 of which, large and pink-veined, rise everywhere above the 

 moss, a rufus colored bird flies quietly past, and, alighting on a 

 low limb a few rods off, salutes me with a Whew ! W T hew ! or 

 Whoit ! Whoit ! " almost as you would whistle for your dog. I see 

 by his impulsive, graceful movements, and his dimly-speckled 

 breast that it is a thrush. Presently he utters a few soft, mellow, 

 flute-like notes, one of the simplest expressions of melody to 

 be heard, and scuds away, and I see it is the Veery or Wilson 

 Thrush. He is the least of the thrushes in size, being about 

 that of the common Blue-bird, and he may be distinguished 

 from his relatives by the dimness of the spots upon his breast. 

 The Wood-Thrush has very clear, distinct oval spots on a 

 white ground ; in the Hermit, the spots run more into lines, 

 on a ground of a faint bluish white ; in the Veery, the marks 

 are almost obsolete, and a few rods off his breast presents 

 only a dull yellowish appearence. To get a good view of him 

 you have only to sit down in his haunts, as in such cases he 

 seems equally anxious to get a good view of you. 



