HERMIT THRUSH. 
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altogether destitute of the clear voice and musical 
powers of that charming minstrel. It also differs, in 
remaining in the southern States during the whole 
year ; whereas the wood thrush does 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 Chactaw nation, they were 
frequent iu the month of May, on the 12th 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 neatness ; 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 coloured, thread-like grass, per- 
fectly 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, myrtFe, gall 
bush, (a species of vaceinium,) 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, colour, 
manners, want of song, secluded habits, differently 
formed nest, and spotted eggs, all unlike those of the 
