Birds of Dead. River Region, Me. F. H. O. 



3. IlylocicMa unalasm pallasi, (Hermit Thrush). 

 One of the typical birds of the dense forests of 

 Maine, the Hermit Thrush was commonly found 

 in this region. In the spring this species is more 

 conspicuous, as at that period of the year it bursts 

 forth into song, but during the latter part of 

 summer when passing through the woods I have 

 seen many of these birds sitting on the limb of 

 some spruce tree, motionless and alone, scarcely 

 flying out of reach when approached. Owing to 

 such demeanor they were easily overlooked, even 

 by the few who penetrate the vast silent forest 

 they inhabit. A nest was found containing 

 young, in the alder swamp near Tim Pond. It 

 was placed on a dry mound, in a heap of rubbish 

 left by the spring flood. The nest was a frail af- 

 fair, but could not be examined, owing to its con- 

 tents. The song of the Hermit Thrush is exquisite, 

 and during the first part of June it was heard at 

 morning and evening. The song of birds is about 

 the only part of their life habits which can not be 

 given on paper, and I have noticed that scarcely 

 do two persons interpret a song the same, both 

 will have a different rendering of the same song, 

 this may be in part due to the state of the feelings 

 of the hearer ; in my own case it has been very ap- 

 parent with the song of the species under con- 

 sideration. When after a hard day's tramp, I 

 have lain wrapped in my blanket under the 

 friendly protection of a wide branching hemlock, 

 listening to my guide as he related some tradition 

 handed down from the days when his ancestors' 

 wigwams stood on the banks of the fair Penobscot 

 until drowsy nature nearly asserted herself, then 

 the vesper song of the Hermit Thrush distinctly 

 uttered far up on the mountain side, would fill the 

 air with its sweet strains, and at its cadence both 

 of us, stoical half-breed and tired civilian, would 

 under the influence repose into a dreamless 

 slumber; yet on the morrow morn, when standing 

 in the bow of the frail birch-bark canoe, held 

 tremblingly among the rushing rapids of Spencer 

 stream by the brawny arm of my companion, 

 with nerves strung to high tension, as I endeav- 

 ored to bring to net a vigorous two pound trout 

 with an eight ounce split-bamboo tor my rod, and 

 when successful and the toothsome fish lay in the 

 canoe, then the matin hymn of the Hermit Thrush 

 as it sounded clear on the morning breeze seemed 

 to my ear like the triumphant poean of victory, 

 but perhaps the critic, unmoved by surrounding 

 circumstances, could have perceived no variation 

 from the notes uttered at eventide. 



O.&O. XI. Aug. 1886, p. 114 



