bird neighbors-第27章
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its shy congeners that are distinctly wood birds； which it can no longer strictly be said to be。 In city parks and country places； where plenty of trees shade the village streets and lawns； it comes near you； half hopping； half running； with dignified unconsciousness and even familiarity； all the more delightful in a bird whose family instincts should take it into secluded woodlands with their shady dells。 Perhaps； in its heart of hearts； it still prefers such retreats。 Many conservative wood thrushes keep to their wild haunts； and it must be owned not a few liberals； that discard family traditions at other times； seek the forest at nesting time。 But social as the wood thrush is and abundant； too； it is also eminently high…bred； and when contrasted with its tawny cousin； the veery； that skulks away to hide in the nearest bushes as you approach； or with the hermit thrush； that pours out its heavenly song in the solitude of the forest； how gracious and full of gentle confidence it seems！ Every gesture is graceful and elegant； even a wriggling beetle is eaten as daintily as caviare at the king's table。 It is only when its confidence in you is abused； and you pass too near the nest； that might easily be mistaken for a robin's； just above your head in a sapling； that the wood thrush so far forgets itself as to become excited。 Pit； pit； pit； sharply reiterated； is called out at you with a strident quality in the tone that is painful evidence of the fearful anxiety your presence gives this gentle bird。
Too many guardians of nests； whether out of excessive happiness or excessive stupidity； have a dangerous habit of singing very near them。 Not so the wood thrush。 〃Come to me；〃 as the opening notes of its flute…like song have been freely translated； invites the intruder far away from where the blue eggs lie cradled in ambush。 is as good a rendering into syllables of the luscious song as could very well be made。 Pure； liquid； rich； and luscious； it rings out from the trees on the summer air and penetrates our home like 〃Uoli…a…e…o…li…noli…nol…aeolee…lee！ strait of music from a stringed quartette。
HERMIT THRUSH （Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii） Thrush family
Called also： SWAMP ANGEL； LITTLE THRUSH
Length 7。25 to 7。5 inches。 About one…fourth smaller than the robin。 Male and Female Upper parts olive…brown； reddening near the tail； which is pale rufous； quite distinct from the color of the back。 Throat； sides of neck； and breast pale buff。 Feathers of throat and neck finished with dark arrow…points at tip； feathers of the breast have larger rounded spots。 Sides brownish gray。 Underneath white。 A yellow ring around the eye。 Smallest of the thrushes。 Range Eastern parts of North America。 Most common in the United States to the plains。 Winters from southern Illinois and New Jersey to Gulf。 Migrations April。 November。 Summer resident。
The first thrush to come and the last to go； nevertheless the hermit is little seen throughout its long visit north。 It may loiter awhile in the shrubby roadsides； in the garden or the parks in the spring before it begins the serious business of life in a nest of moss； coarse grass； and pine…needles placed on the ground in the depths of the forest； but by the middle of May its presence in the neighborhood of our homes becomes only a memory。 Although one never hears it at its best during the migrations； how one loves to recall the serene； ethereal evening hymn！ 〃The finest sound in Nature；〃 John Burroughs calls it。 〃It is not a proud； gorgeous strain like the tanager's or the grosbeak's；〃 he says； 〃it suggests no passion or emotion nothing personal； but seems to be the voice of that calm； sweet solemnity one attains to in his best moments。 It realizes a peace and a deep； solemn joy that only the finest souls may know。〃
Beyond the question of even the hypercritical； the hermit thrush has a more exquisitely beautiful voice than any other American bird； and only the nightingale's of Europe can be compared with it。 It is the one theme that exhausts all the ornithologists' musical adjectives in a vain attempt to convey in words any idea of it to one who has never heard it； for the quality of the song is as elusive as the bird itself。 But why should the poets be so silent？ Why has it not called forth such verse as the English poets have lavished upon the nightingale？ Undoubtedly because it lifts up its heavenly voice in the solitude of the forest。 whereas the nightingales； singing in loud choruses in the moonlight under the poet's very window； cannot but impress his waking thoughts and even his dreams with their melody。
Since the severe storm and cold in the Gulf States a few winters ago； where vast numbers of hermit thrushes died from cold and starvation； this bird has been very rare in haunts where it used to be abundant。 The other thrushes escaped because they spend the winter farther south。
ALICE'S THRUSH （Turdus alicia） Thrush family
Called also： GRAY…CHEEKED THRUSH； ＇now separated into two species： the more mid…western GRAY…CHEEKED THRUSH and the New England and Adirondack BICKNELL'S THRUSH； AOU 1998＇
Length 7。5 to 8 inches。 About the size of the bluebird。 Male and Female Upper parts uniform olive…brown。 Eye…ring whitish。 Cheeks gray； sides dull grayish white。 Sides of the throat and breast pale cream…buff； speckled with arrow…shaped points on throat and with half…round dark…brown marks below。 Range North America； from Labrador and Alaska to Central America。 Migrations Late April or May。 October。 Chiefly seen in migrations； except at northern parts of its range。
One looks for a prettier bird than this least attractive of all the thrushes in one that bears such a suggestive name。 Like the olive…backed thrush； from which it is almost impossible to tell it when both are alive and hopping about the shrubbery； its plumage above is a dull olive…brown that is more protective than pleasing。
Just as Wilson hopelessly confused the olive…backed thrush with the hermit； so has Alice's thrush been confounded by later writers with the olive…backed； from which it differs chiefly in being a trifle larger； in having gray cheeks instead of buff； and in possessing a few faint streaks on the throat。 Where it goes to make a home for its greenish…blue speckled eggs in some low bush at the northern end of its range； it bursts into song； but except in the nesting grounds its voice is never heard。 Mr。 Bradford Torrey； who heard it singing in the White Mountains； describes the song as like the thrush's in quality； but differently accented： 〃Wee…o…wee…o…tit…ti…wee…o！〃
In New England and New York this thrush is most often seen during its autumn migrations。 As it starts up and perches upon a low branch before you； it appears to have longer legs and a broader； squarer tail than its congeners。
OLIVE…BACKED THRUSH （Turdus ustulatus swainsonii） Thrush family
Called also： SWAINSON'S THRUSH ＇AOU 1998＇
Length 7 to 7。50 inches。 About one…fourth smaller than the robin。 Male and Female Upper parts olive…brown。 Whole throat and breast yellow…buff； shading to ashy on sides and to white underneath。 Buff ring around eye。 Dark streaks on sides of throat （none on centre）； and larger； more spot…like marks on breast。 Range North America to Rockies； a few stragglers on Pacific slope。 Northward to arctic countries。 Migrations April。 October。 Summer resident in Canada。 Chiefly a migrant in United States。
Mr。 Parkhurst tells of finding this 〃the commonest bird in the Park （Central Park； New York）； not even excepting the robin；〃 during the last week of May on a certain year； but usually； it must be owned； we have to be on the lookout to find it； or it will pass unnoticed in the great companies of more conspicuous birds travelling at the same time。 White…throated sparrows often keep it company on the long journeys northward； and they may frequently be seen together； hopping sociably about the garden； the thrush calling out a rather harsh note puk！ puk！ quite different from the liquid； mellow calls of the other thrushes； to resent either the sparrows' bad manners or the inquisitiveness of a human disturber of its peace。 But this gregarious habit and neighborl
