II E R M I T T II R U S II. 
33 
not winter even in Georgia ; nor arrives 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 twelfth of which I examined 
one of their nests on a horizontal branch immediately 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 considerable quantity of coarse 
rooty grass, intermixed with horse-hair, and lined with a fine green- 
colored, 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 consideration its difference 
of size, color, manners, want of song, secluded habits, differently formed 
nest, and spotted eggs, all unlike those of the former, with which it 
never associates, it is impossible not to conclude it to be a distinct and 
separate species, however near it may approach to that of the former. 
Its food, and the country it inhabits for half the year, being the same, 
neither could have produced those differences ; and we must believe it to 
be now, what it ever has and ever will be, a distinct connecting link in 
the great chain of this part of animated nature ; all the sublime reason- 
ing of certain theoretical closet philosophers to the .contrary notwith- 
standing. 
Length of the Hermit Thrush seven inches, extent ten inches and a 
half ; upper parts plain deep olive brown, lower dull white ; upper part 
of the breast and throat dull cream color, deepest where the plumage 
falls over the shoulders of the wing, and marked with large dark brown 
pointed spots ; ear feathers and line over the eye cream, the former 
mottled with olive; edges of the wings lighter, tips dusky; tail coverts 
and tail inclining to a reddish fox color. In the Wood Thrush these 
parts incline to greenish olive. Tail slightly forked ; legs dusky ; bill 
Vol. II.— 3 
