850 
INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 
the close, in the first phrase ; but from high to low, and 
terminating slender and slow, in the latter ; another ex- 
pression seems to be, ’ve ved vehurr , ascending like a 
whistle. The song of another individual was expressed in 
the following manner , ’ve ’villill ’villill ’ tullull ’tullul. It 
was then repeated with variation, ’ve villillil villill villill ; 
then villillill villillill, tullilill tullilill ; the whole agreea- 
bly and singularly delivered in a shrill, hollow voice, 
almost like the sound of liquor passing through a 
funnel into a bottle. I have also heard several of these 
sounds, sometimes occasionally prefaced by a mewing or 
chirping warble. These sounds, though monotonous, 
are possessed of greater variety than is at first imagined, 
the terminating tone or key changing through several 
repetitions, so as to constitute a harmony and melody, 
in some degree approaching the song of the more 
musical Wood Thrush. From this habit of seren- 
ading into the night, the species is sometimes here digni- 
fied with the nickname of the Nightingale. Occasion- 
ally he utters an angry, rather plaintive mew, like the 
Cat-bird, or a quivering bleat, almost similar to that of a 
lamb, and, when approached, watches and follows the 
intruder with an angry or petulant quedh queah ; at other 
times, a sort of mewing, melancholy, or complaining 
y’eow ’ y’eow is heard ; and then, perhaps, a hasty and 
impatient pent pent follows. The food of this species, 
at least during the early part of summer, appears to be 
shelly insects of various kinds, particularly Chrysomelas , 
or lady-bugs, and those many legged hard worms of the 
genus lulus. 
A good while after the commencement of the period 
of incubation, I have observed the males engaged in ob- 
stinate quarrels. On the 4th of June (1830) I observed 
two of these petulant Thrushes thus fiercely and jeal- 
