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The Wood Thrush 
in the year 1913, absolutely prohibits the killing of these birds at all 
seasons in all parts of the country. 
Thus the bird now dwells beneath the combined protection of the 
Government and the several States. As most of this bird’s life is passed 
on the ground or among the shrubbery, we would 
Food naturally expect it to eat those small forms of life 
found in such situations. Practically any insect which 
it comes upon in its apparently aimless travels about the groves and 
thickets is doomed to speedy destruction, unless escape is instantly ef- 
fected. 
Beetles that inhabit the ground or the bark of trees are eaten, as 
well as grasshoppers, snails, spiders, and the larvae of many moths and 
other succulent insects. Now and then the bird steals into the garden to 
take a gooseberry or blackberry, but if the earth has been recently I 
spaded it shows a decided preference for any cutworm, or other under- ■ 
ground worm of similar character, that may have been exposed to the j 
light of day. Wood Thrushes eat wild fruit and berries to some extent, i 
but their characteristic shyness evidently prevents themi from acquiring | 
that intimacy with mankind which would tend to make them feel as much ! 
at home in the cherry tree as does our dear, but at times annoying, Robin. 
There are few birds which make so strong an appeal to the nature | 
lover as does the Wood Thrush. Many are the things to be said in its ; 
favor, and rare, indeed, is it to find anyone who, knowing this shy sylvan 
beauty, has aught to say against it. It is one of the few well-known ; 
birds which is universally popular, and it deserves all the protection 
which mankind can give it. 
All wild creatures, of course, have their enemies. Snakes, weasels, 
hawks, and owls are among what we may call the natural enemies of | 
small birds. Against these destroyers our feathered friends have for ! 
long centuries been able to hold their own in numbers. ' 
Enemies Mankind, however, has brought many changes in the 
wild-life conditions of the country, and, while we | 
have destroyed many of the creatures which formerly thinned the Wood 
Thrush ranks, we have introduced others whose destructive efifects are ’ 
vastly more potent. Here is the tragic trio zHtich zve have let loose upon 
American zvild-bird life: the sling-shot boy, the all-eating Italian, and ' 
the ravenous house-cat. 
Classification and Distribution 
The Wood Thrush belongs to the Order Passeres, Suborder Oscines, Family 
Turdidcp, and Subfamily Turdincc. Its scientific name is Hylocichla mustelina. It 
l)reeds from southern South Dakota and southern New Hampshire, south to eastern 
Texas and northern Florida, and winters from southern Mexico to Nicaragua and 
Costa Rica, occurring casually in winter as far north as New Jersey. 
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