e 〃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 neighborly visit end even before acquaintance fairly begins； and the thrushes are off for their nesting grounds in the pine woods of New England or Labrador if they are travelling up the east coast； or to Alaska； British Columbia； or Manitoba if west of the Mississippi。 There they stay all summer； often travelling southward with the sparrows in the autumn； as in the spring。
Why they should prefer coniferous trees； unless to utilize the needles for a nest； is not understood。 Low trees and bushes are favorite building sites with them as with others of the family； though these thrushes disdain a mud lining to their nests。 Those who have heard the olive…backed thrush singing an even…song to its brooding mate compare it with the veery's； but it has a break in it and is less simple and pleasing than the latter's。
LOUISIANA WATER THRUSH （Seiurus motacilla） Wood Warbler family
Length 6 to 6。28 inches。 Just a trifle smaller than the English sparrow。 Male and Female Grayish olive…brown upper parts； with conspicuous white line over the eye and reaching almost to the nape。 Underneath white； tinged with pale buff。 Throat and line through the middle； plain。 Other parts streaked with very dark brown； rather faintly on the breast； giving them the speckled breast of the thrushes。 Heavy； dark bill。 Range United States； westward to the plains； northward to southern New England。 Winters in the tropics。 Migrations Late April。 October。 Summer resident。
This bird； that so delighted Audubon with its high…trilled song as he tramped with indefatigable zeal through the hammocks of the Gulf States； seems to be almost the counterpart of the Northern water thrush； just as the loggerhead is the Southern counterpart of the Northern shrike。 Very many Eastern birds have their duplicates in Western species； as we all know； and it is most interesting to trace the slight external variations that different climates and diet have produced on the same bird； and thus differentiated the species。 In winter the Northern water thrush visits the cradle of its kind； the swamps of Louisiana and Florida； and； no doubt； by daily contact with its congeners there； keeps close to their cherished traditions； from which it never deviates farther than Nature compels； though it penetrate to the arctic regions during its summer journeys。
With a more southerly range； the Louisiana water thrush does not venture beyond the White Mountains and to the shores of the Great Lakes in summer； but even at the North the same woods often contain both birds； and there is opportunity to note just how much they differ。 The Southern bird is slightly the larger； possibly an inch； it is more gray； and it lacks a few of the streaks； notably on the throat； that plentifully speckle its Northern counterpart； but the habits of both of these birds appear to be identical。 Only for a few days in the spring or autumn migrations do they pass near enough to our homes for us to study them； and then we must ever be on the alert to steal a glance at them through the opera…glasses； for birds more shy than they do not visit the garden shrubbery at any season。 Only let them suspect they are being stared at； and they are under cover in a twinkling。
Where mountain streams dash through tracts of mossy； spongy ground that is carpeted with fern and moss； and overgrown with impenetrable thickets of underbrush and tangles of creepers such a place is the favorite resort of both the water thrushes。 With a rubber boot missing； clothes torn； and temper by no means unruffled； you finally stand over the Louisiana thrush's nest in the roots of an upturned tree immediately over the water； or else in a mossy root…belaced bank above a purling stream。 A liquid…trilled warble； wild and sweet； breaks the stillness； and； like Audubon； you feel amply rewarded for your pains though you may not be prepared to agree with him in thinking the song the equal of the European nightingale's。
NORTHERN WATER THRUSH （Seiurus noveboracensis） Wood Warbler family
Called also： NEW YORK WATER THRUSH； AQUATIC WOOD