The morning times., 1895-07-14

ring-dove. il gradually becomes richer, fuller |
and more snnorous until the whole air re- |
sounds with an eXultant Outburst Ire |
wood-thrIsh is a pretty, light brown bird |
with white throat and breast. 1t comes |
with the first bloom of the fruit trees, and |
mgrates later than any of our songsters, |
except the blue bird. The time OF its de
parture is entirely governed by the amount
OF food supply in the neighborhood. II is
tinid suspicious and not over friendly III
its habits. especially delghtiug IN shady
ravines close, thick woods, and cool, damp
places.
Thevery name wood-thrush. suggests that
land OF dreams, of poetry and romance-the
silent ma iesty of the forest. Those quiet
spots, where the branches of the trees droop
until they almost kiss the little stream flow
ing below where the wild hOneysuCkle,
azalea, and Mburnum fin the air with
fragrance are the spots where the wood
thrush loves to pour forth his vesper song.
This bj rd has never been abundant around
washington aud each year il IS becoming
rarcr This season but few have returned
To their old homes, and our local orni-
biologists fear that in this latitude the
race is becoming extinct Many reasons
| are assigned for this decrease in the num-
ber Of our thrusheS and other song birds
| The blizzard of last February was parucu-
! larIv disastrous TO bird life, and explains
| the scarcity this year
| KILLED FOR III + MA Rk !.
But there is another and sadder reason
| in the fact that many Of our sweetest
| singers are killed aud sent to the markets.
! As many as 300 blue birds have been seen
at one time in the game stalls OF the
| Center Market.
A few wears ago the brilljant-plumaged
| red bird was as prevalent in our forests
| as the Cat-bird. Lately they have been
| captured in large numbers by Snarers and
exported to Europe. While we cannot
| fail 10 miss their merry carols, it is CON
soling to know that they are more appTe-
| Ciated there than in their native cliIneS.
In those Woodlands which follow the
course of the rivers and creeks we find
| the restingplaCe of another fOreSt-loying
| sougstcr. the brown thrush, or thrasher. as
it is popularly called. The thraSher has a
many warm admirers who consider his
| voice suDcrior to our celebrated Southern
singer, the moCking bird. The song IS
entirely original, certainly a quality to
be admired in bird. beast or man. Con
nOisSeurs of sylvan melody claim that it
is more LIQUID more vigorous and iuSprit-
ing than the finest tones OF the mocking
bird.
The thrasher is very hardy. and often
arrives at its breeding haunts before the
winter SHOWS are gone At first its song
is rarely heard but when spring opens with
her soft warm breCZes and her wealth OF
buds and blossoms, the voice OF the thrasher
is the first to welcome her coming. 1t has,
unfortunately, but a brief period OF song,
for after the first weeks OF July we seldom
| hear its beautiful melody.
During its short season, however, 1t is a
| most diligent performer, sometimes sing
ing increasingly for hours. One popularity
of the thrasher is that it always sings in
double and triple bars. Usually it sends
forth its glorious, soul-stirring notes from
some prominent spot, such rs the highest
and most exposed branch of tree
CLEAR AT BREAK OF DAY.
One nature-loving fact Longfeliow tells
us of a thrasher, that each morning From
the green steeple of piny wood flooded
the gray dawn with sweetness, and many
other bird-obseryers nave remarked tha'