Evening star., 1936-05-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEwELL.

Bird notes for today:
The wood thrush, aristocrat Of our
gardens, sings best on the ground.
While hopping around In his usual
calm fashion on the lawn, he omits
from his song the variety Of whirrs and
cluckings which he finds necessary while
in the trees.
These extra sounds in the lovely music
Of this finest Of songsters scarcely add
anything to the song, at least from the
standpoint Of the human ear.
Perhaps they are all necessary from
the viewpoint of the thrushes, but the
listener will wisn at times they were left
out completely.
The happy thing Is that they are
omitted, while the bird is on the ground,
searching for food.
Then his song Is clear, pure music,
slightly less loud than when uttered
aloft. It may be that being among the
branches Of trees makes these birds feel
more 'peppy" and more in their element.
1t may be that when on the earth
they are more pre-occupied with
thoughts Of food. and simply give the
strains of their beautiful song as music
with meals"
II you want to hear the thrush song
at its best, therefore, watch for the birds
hopping around on the grass beneath
shrubs, especially rhododendrons, which
they love.
Then you will hear the real thrush
music, which is about the bird worlds s
best.
Then, too, you can view easily the fine
pink legs which harmonic with the
deep brown and soft grays Of the
| feathers, and with the dark spots on
the breast. Many think this is the most
beautiful of all birds in appearance as
well as in song. Surely there is some
| thing exquisite in the harmony of its
| colors and their blending, and the
brightness of the eyes. The pink legs
add just a little brightness to a bird
almost as beautifully sedate in colora-
ton as Jenny Wren.
This harmony is really appropriate
ness. The wood thrush, or brown
thrush as it is known to some, blends
with the earth, the greens of grasses
and shrubs. 1t seems to belong, in a
peculiarly good way. Bright is the car
dinal, in bold red; sporty the bluejay.
| in blues and grays. but the wood thrush
is really more beautiful than them all,
| just as its song is.
Every time the thrush gives part OF its
song, as it hops around on the ground. it
turns its head sideways, and looks at you
with its extremely bright eye.
This is done calmly. without fear.
| though the bird may be only few feet
away. How the wood thrush, whose
name shows its original habitat, came
| to be so unconcerned near human habi-
| tation is mystery. Its cousin. the her
| NIT thrush is as much hermit as ever.
| In the early days of the United States
| the wood thrush lived up to its name
in every respect, but during the past so
years it has become the bird of gardens,
in which it Is as much at home as
the owner.
The wood thrush will hop along for
| ten feet or more, before uttering a part
of its song. Then it will proceed leisurely
for another few feet, when it will turn
| its head slightly, cock an appreciative
| eye, and sing again.
Thus in few turns around the garden
| it will run through its entire repertoire.
| This consists of four sections, or triolets,
which may be turned into written music
better than most bird songs.
When aloft, sitting on branch, giving
| its evening concert. the thrush makes
| various winding up" sounds, suggestive