106 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [1891 



PART I. 



Order PASSERES. 



Perching Birds. 



Tardus mustelinus (Gmel.). Wood Thrush. 



This well-known bird, although not remarkable for brilliant 

 plumage, surpasses most, if not all, of our songsters by the char- 

 acter of its song. This is in the highest degree musical, resem- 

 bling the tones of a flute, or when heard from a distance recall- 

 ing the flageolet tones produced on a violin. The principal 

 strain may be given by the following musical notation : 

 8va 



t . f: ^ tz 



From early in May and throughout the summer until about the 

 middle of August its song may be heard from the bushes and 

 thickets, in the early morning or late evening, no matter what 

 the weather may be, whether serene or overcast. This bird 

 arrives toward the close of April and leaves about the end of 

 September. During its stay it frequents shady woods, especially 

 near the banks of a brook or small river. The nest, which is 

 in part composed of mud, is usually attached to an alder bush, 

 frequently about four or five feet from the ground. The writer 

 found the young of this bird, not yet able to fly, in the early 

 part of August, and these appeared to have been representatives 

 of a second brood. Although quite common, it appears to be 

 not so well known as the majority of our other songsters, in 

 consequence of being more solitary and shy, which tendency 

 seems to increase toward the time of departure, when it stealthily 

 makes its way through the thickets. 



Turdus unalascae Pallasii (Cab.). Hermit Thrush. 



While the capture last summer of a single specimen of this 

 species seems to me purely accidental, I venture to place it here 

 in order to give fulness to this list. The bird when taken was 

 apparently in good health, and it was not one which had been 



