bird neighbors-第26章

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　wren　may　more　often　be　heard　than　seen；　for　he　is　more　shy；　if　possible；　than　his　long…billed　cousin；　and　will　dive　down　into　the　sedges　at　your　approach；　very　much　as　a　duck　disappears　under　water。　But　if　you　see　him　at　all；　it　is　usually　while　swaying　to　and　fro　as　he　clings　to　some　tall　stalk　of　grass；　keeping　his　balance　by　the　nervous；　jerky　tail　motions　characteristic　of　all　the　wrens；　and　singing　with　all　his　might。　Oftentimes　his　tail　reaches　backward　almost　to　his　head　in　a　most　exaggerated　wren…fashion。

Samuels　explains　the　peculiar　habit　both　the　long…billed　and　the　short…billed　marsh　wrens　have　of　building　several　nests　in　one　season；　by　the　theory　that　they　are　made　to　protect　the　sitting　female；　for　it　is　noticed　that　the　male　bird　always　lures　a　visitor　to　an　empty　nest；　and　if　this　does　not　satisfy　his　curiosity；　to　another　one；　to　prove　conclusively　that　he　has　no　family　in　prospect。

Wild　rice　is　an　ideal　nesting　place　for　a　colony　of　these　little　marsh　wrens。　The　home　is　made　of　sedge　grasses；　softly　lined　with　the　softer　meadow　grass　or　plant…down；　and　placed　in　a　tussock　of　tall　grass；　or　even　upon　the　ground。　The　entrance　is　on　the　side。　But　while　fond　of　moist　places；　both　for　a　home　and　feeding　ground；　it　will　be　noticed　that　these　wrens　have　no　special　fondness　for　running　water；　so　dear　to　their　long…billed　relatives。　Another　distinction　is　that　the　eggs　of　this　species；　instead　of　being　so　densely　speckled　as　to　look　brown；　are　pure　white。


BROWN　THRASHER　（Harporhynchus　rufus）　Thrasher　and　Mocking…bird　　　family

Called　also：　BROWN　THRUSH；　GROUND　THRUSH；　RED　THRUSH；　BROWN　　　MOCKING…BIRD；　FRENCH　MOCKING…BIRD；　MAVIS

Length　　11　to　11。5　inches。　Fully　an　inch　longer　than　the　robin。　Male　　Rusty　red…brown　or　rufous　above；　darkest　on　wings；　which　　　have　two　short　whitish　bands。　Underneath　white；　heavily　　　streaked　（except　on　throat）　with　dark…brown；　arrow…shaped　　　spots。　Tail　very　long。　Yellow　eyes。　Bill　long　and　curved　at　　　tip。　Female　　Paler　than　male。　Range　　United　States　to　Rockies。　Nests　from　Gulf　States　to　　　Manitoba　and　Montreal。　Winters　south　of　Virginia。　Migrations　　Late　April。　October。　Common　summer　resident

　　　　　〃There's　a　merry　brown　thrush　sitting　up　in　a　tree；　　　　　　　He　is　singing　to　me！　He　is　singing　to　me！　　　　　　　And　what　does　he　say；　little　girl；　little　boy？　　　　　　　'Oh；　the　world's　running　over　with　joy！'〃

The　hackneyed　poem　beginning　with　this　stanza　that　delighted　our　nursery　days；　has　left　in　our　minds　a　fairly　correct　impression　of　the　bird。　He　still　proves　to　be　one　of　the　perennially　joyous　singers；　like　a　true　cousin　of　the　wrens；　and　when　we　study　him　afield；　he　appears　to　give　his　whole　attention　to　his　song　with　a　self…consciousness　that　is　rather　amusing　than　the　reverse。　〃What　musician　wouldn't　be　conscious　of　his　own　powers；〃　he　seems　to　challenge　us；　〃if　he　possessed　such　a　gift？〃　Seated　on　a　conspicuous　perch；　as　if　inviting　attention　to　his　performance；　with　uplifted　head　and　drooping　tail　he　repeats　the　one　exultant；　dashing　air　to　which　his　repertoire　is　limited；　without　waiting　for　an　encore。　Much　practice　has　given　the　notes　a　brilliancy　of　execution　to　be　compared　only　with　the　mockingbird's；　but　in　spite　of　the　name　〃ferruginous　mocking…bird〃　that　Audubon　gave　him；　he　does　not　seem　to　have　the　faculty　of　imitating　other　birds'　songs。　Thoreau　says　the　Massachusetts　farmers；　when　planting　their　seed；　always　think　they　hear　the　thrasher　say；　〃Drop　it；　drop　it　　cover　it　up；　cover　it　up　　pull　it　up；　pull　it　up；　pull　it　up。〃

One　of　the　shatterings　of　childish　impressions　that　age　too　often　brings　is　when　we　learn　by　the　books　that　our　〃merry　brown　thrush〃　is　no　thrush　at　all；　but　a　thrasher　　first　cousin　to　the　wrens；　in　spite　of　his　speckled　breast；　large　size；　and　certain　thrush…like　instincts；　such　as　never　singing　near　the　nest　and　shunning　mankind　in　the　nesting　season；　to　mention　only　two。　Certainly　his　bold；　swinging　flight　and　habit　of　hopping　and　running　over　the　ground　would　seem　to　indicate　that　he　is　not　very　far　removed　from　the　true　thrushes。　But　he　has　one　undeniable　wren…like　trait；　that　of　twitching；　wagging；　and　thrashing　his　long　tail　about　to　help　express　his　emotions。　It　swings　like　a　pendulum　as　he　rests　on　a　branch；　and　thrashes　about　in　a　most　ludicrous　way　as　he　is　feeding　on　the　ground　upon　the　worms；　insects；　and　fruit　that　constitute　his　diet。

Before　the　fatal　multiplication　of　cats；　and　in　unfrequented；　sandy　locations　still；　the　thrasher　builds　her　nest　upon　the　ground；　thus　earning　the　name　〃ground　thrush〃　that　is　often　given　her；　but　with　dearly　paid…for　wisdom　she　now　most　frequently　selecting　a　low　shrub　or　tree　to　cradle　the　two　broods　that　all　too　early　in　the　summer　effectually　silence　the　father's　delightful　song。


WILSON'S　THRUSH　（Turdus　fuscescens）　Thrush　family

Called　also：　VEERY　｛AOU　1998＇；　TAWNY　THRUSH

Length　　7　to　7。5　inches。　About　one…fourth　smaller　than　the　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Uniform　olive…brown；　with　a　tawny　cast　above。　　　Centre　of　the　throat　white；　with　cream…buff　on　sides　of　throat　　　and　upper　part　of　breast；　which　is　lightly　spotted　with　　　wedge…shaped；　brown　points。　Underneath　white；　or　with　a　faint　　　grayish　tinge。　Range　　United　States；　westward　to　plains。　Migrations　　May。　October。　Summer　resident。

To　many　of　us　the　veery；　as　they　call　the　Wilson's　thrush　in　New　England；　is　merely　a　voice；　a　sylvan　mystery；　reflecting　the　sweetness　and　wildness　of　the　forest；　a　vocal　〃will…o'…the…wisp〃　that；　after　enticing　us　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　woods；　where　we　sink　into　the　spongy　moss　of　its　damp　retreats　and　become　entangled　in　the　wild　grape…vines　twined　about　the　saplings　and　underbrush；　still　sings　to　us　from　unapproachable　tangles。　Plainly；　if　we　want　to　see　the　bird；　we　must　let　it　seek　us　out　on　the　fallen　log　where　we　have　sunk　exhausted　in　the　chase。　

Presently　a　brown　bird　scuds　through　the　fern。　It　is　a　thrush；　you　guess　in　a　minute；　from　its　slender；　graceful　body。　At　first　you　notice　no　speckles　on　its　breast；　but　as　it　comes　nearer；　obscure　arrow…heads　are　visible　　not　heavy；　heart…shaped　spots　such　as　plentifully　speckle　the　larger　wood　thrush　or　the　smaller　hermit。　It　is　the　smallest　of　the　three　commoner　thrushes；　and　it　lacks　the　ring　about　the　eye　that　both　the　others　have。　Shy　and　elusive；　it　slips　away　again　in　a　most　unfriendly　fashion；　and　is　lost　in　the　wet　tangle　before　you　have　become　acquainted。　You　determine；　however；　before　you　leave　the　log；　to　cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　this　bird　the　next　spring；　when；　before　it　mates　and　retreats　to　the　forest；　it　comes　boldly　into　the　gardens　and　scratches　about　in　the　dry　leaves　on　the　ground　for　the　lurking　insects　beneath。　Miss　Florence　Merriam　tells　of　having　drawn　a　number　of　veeries　about　her　by　imitating　their　call…note；　which　is　a　whistled　wheew；　whoit；　very　easy　to　counterfeit　when　once　heard。　〃Taweel…ah；　taweel…ah；　twil…ah；　twil…ah！〃　Professor　Ridgeway　interprets　their　song；　that　descends　in　a　succession　of　trills　without　break　or　pause；　but　no　words　can　possibly　convey　an　idea　of　the　quality　of　the　music。　The　veery；　that　never　claims　an　audience；　sings　at　night　also；　and　its　weird；　sweet　strains　floating　through　the　woods　at　dusk；　thrill　one　like　the　mysterious　voice　of　a　disembodied　spirit。　

Whittier　mentions　the　veery　in　〃The　Playmate〃：

　　　　　〃And　here　in　spring　the　veeries　sing　　　　　　　The　song　of　long　ago。〃


WOOD　THRUSH　（Turdus　mustelinus）　Thrush　family

Called　also：　SONG　THRUSH；　WOOD　ROBIN；　BELLBIRD

Length　　8　to　8。3　inches。　About　two　inches　shorter　than　the　　　robin。　Male　and　Female　　Brown　above；　reddish　on　head　and　shoulders；　　　　shading　into　olive…brown　on　tail。　Throat；　breast；　and　　　underneath　white；　plain　in　the　middle；　but　heavily　marked　on　　　sides　and　breast　with　heart…shaped　spots　of　very　dark　brown。　　　Whitish　eye…ring。　Migrations　　Late　April　or　early　May。　October。　Summer　resident。

When　Nuttall　wrote　of　〃this　solitary　and　retiring　songster；〃　before　the　country　was　as　thickly　settled　as　it　is　to…day；　it　possibly　had　not　developed　the　confidence　in　men　that　now　distinguishes　the　wood　thrush　from　its　shy　congeners　that　are　distinctly　wood　birds；　which　it　can　no　longer　strictly　be　said　to　be。　In