1891] 



MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 109 



it been virginicus, etc. This dark- colored songster arrives in 

 this vicinity about the latter part of April, leaving some time in 

 October, having been observed as late as the 22d of that month. 

 The arrival is made known by the characteristic cat-like notes. 

 Besides these sounds the bird has a regular song, no order in the 

 strains, but reminding one of the chatting and gabbling of talka- 

 tive people, amusing however to the listener, and seemingly also 

 to the singer. The nest, situated in bushes and briers of every 

 description, along roadsides or near the farm house, is made of 

 dry leaves, small rootlets, and stalks of different weeds. Even rags 

 and pieces of paper have been found in the composition. In the 

 construction of the inner lining smaller rootlets are used than on 

 the exterior of the nest. The eggs, usually five, sometimes only 

 four, are of a very dark bluish-green color, and show no indications 

 of spots. Nests containing eggs are found all through June. 



Harporhynchus rvfus (Linn.). Brown Thrasher. 



This songster is better known under the common names of 

 "Red Thrush " and " Sandy Mocking-bird," but the latter is 

 the name by which it is best known by our farmers and people 

 generally. The bird is as common as the catbird and frequents 

 the same places, but its habits are not the same. The sandy 

 mocking-bird delights in the early morning to rest upon some 

 tall tree or telegraph wire by the roadside and peal forth its 

 beautiful and vigorous song. Another habit is to run in thickets 

 or even small open places, scratching the ground, and among the 

 dry leaves searching for insects. The nest is not a very fine 

 structure, and is placed among bushes and brambles. It con- 

 tains four or five brown-speckled eggs, which are somewhat 

 larger than those of the catbird. Judging by the different 

 months in which eggs have been found, the writer concludes that 

 two broods are hatched during the season. This bird appears 

 early in April, about the first week, and departs for the South 

 about tiie first week in October. 



Sialia sialis (Linn.). Bluebird. 

 This well-known bird is but partly migratory in its habits, 



