TURD1D.E — THE THRUSHES. 9 



Springfield, Mass., undisturlied by the passers by or tlie walkers l)encatli, 

 or the noise and rattle of the vehicles on the contiguous streets. 



The song of this thrush is one of its most remarl<able and pleasing 

 characteristics. Xo lover of sweet sounds can have failed to notice it, 

 and, having once known its source, no one can fail to recognize it when 

 heard again. The melody is one of great sweetness and power, and consists 

 of several parts, the last note of which resembles the tinkling of a small bell, 

 and seems to leaxe the conclusion suspended, pjacli part of its song seems 

 sweeter and richer tlian tlie preceding. 



The nest is usually built on the horizontal branch of a small forest-tree, 

 six or eight feet from the ground, and, less frequently, in the fork of a busli. 

 The diameter is about 5 inches, and the dei^th 3|, with a cavity averaging 

 3 inches across by 2^ in deptli. They are firm, compact structures, chiefly 

 composed of decayed deciduous leaves, closely impacted together, and ap- 

 parently thus combined when in a moistened condition, and afterward 

 dried into a firmness and strength like that of parchment. These are 

 intermingled with, and strengthened by, a few dry twigs, and the whole 

 is lined with fine roots and a few fine dry grasses. Occasionally, instead 

 of the solid frame of imj^acted leaves, we find one of solidified mud. 



The eggs of the "Wood Thrush, usually four in numlier, sometimes five, 

 are of a uniform deep-ldue tint, with but a slight admixture of yellow, 

 wliich imparts a greenish tinge. Their average measurements are 1.00 by 

 .75 inch. 



Turdus fuscescens, Stephens. 



TAWNY THKUSH ; WILSON'S THRUSH. 



T Urdus mitstclinus, WiLsox, Aurt. Uinithology, V, 1812, US, pi. 43 (not of Omklin). 



T Urdus fuscescens, Stephes-s, Shaw's Gen. Zool. Birds, X, I, 1817, 182. C'.\B. Jour. 1S55, 

 470 (Cuba). — B.iiRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 214. — Ib. Rev. Am. B. 1864, 17. — Gundi,. 

 Eepertorio, 186.5, 228 (Cuba, not rare). Pelzelx, Orn. Bras. 11, 1868, 92. (San 

 Vicente, Brazil, December.) — Samuels, 150. — Scl.\ter, P. Z. S. 1859, 326. — Ib. 

 Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 2, Ko. 10. T urdus silens, ViElLL. Encyclop. Meth. II, 1823, 

 647 (based on T. muslelimts, WiLS.). Turdus wilsonii, BoN. Ob.s. Wils. 1825, No. 

 73. Turdus minor, D'Orb. La Sagra's Cuba, Ois. 1840, 47, pi. v (Cuba). 



Sr. CnAR. Above, and on side.s of head and neck, nearly uniform light reddish-brown, 

 with a faint tendency to orange on the crown and tail. Beneath, white ; the fore part 

 of the breast and throat (paler on the chin) tinged with pale brownish-yellow, in decided 

 contrast to the white of the belly. The sides of the throat and the fore part of the breast, 

 as colored, are marked with small triangidar spots of light brownish, nearly like the back, 

 but not well defined. There are a few obsolete blotches on the sides of the breast (in the 

 white) of pale olivaceous; the sides of the body tinged with the same. Tibiaj white. 

 The lower mandible is brownish only at the tip. The lores are ash-colored, the orbital 

 region grayish. Length, 7.50 ; wing, 4.25 ; tail, 3.20 ; tarsus, 1.20. 



Hab. Eastern North America, Halifax to Fort Bridger, and north to Fort Garry 

 Cuba, Panama, and Brazil (winter). Orizaba (winter), Su.miciirast. 

 2 



