The Singing of Birds. H. P. BiokneU. 



Turdus nanus. Hermit Thrush. 



Though this little Thnish is always to be found with us during 

 its migrations, it was only after some years of observation that I 

 discovered that it ever sang near the sca-coast in this latitude. 

 Either it is very furtive-voiced while it is with us, or singing is 

 exceptional. Twice onh' have I heard its song away from its 

 summer home, — on April 36, 1878, and April 29, 1S79. In both 

 cases the songs were faint and of an unfinished character, and 

 positive identification only satisfied me that they were of this spe- 

 cies. It is probable that this Thrush sings occasionally in the 

 autumn ; for there is little doubt that I heard it on October iS, 

 1880. It was in the dusk of the early morning, and the song, 

 though several times repeated, was not clearly heard. It was, 

 however, from a Hylocickia, and sounded most like that of the 

 Hermit Thrush, the only one of the smaller Thrushes which 

 was present at the time in any munbers. 



The call-note of the Hermit Thrush is very diflerent from that 

 of any other species of its group which occurs with us. It is a 

 low chtick, suggestive of the note of a distant Blackbird. The 

 Hermit Thrush possesses the singular habit of demurely raising 

 its tail and allowing it to fall back slowly to its natural position ; 

 this strange movement recurs at intervals and often follows the 

 act of perching. Does it bear any relation to the cliaracteristic 

 caudal activity of the Water-thrushes and some of the Warblers.? 



Auk, I, April, 1884. p. . 



