Thrush WESTERN BIRDS 



the edge of the nest onto a little twig beside it. He 

 paused a moment and then went back and made his way 

 along the rim before returning to it. I was not present 

 at the departure of the nestlings, which I presume oc- 

 curred soon after my visit. 



GENUS HYLOCICHLA: HERMIT 

 THRUSH. (Eastern.) 



Hermit Thrush: Hylocichla guttata pdllasi. 

 FAMILY— THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC. 



There are several forms of the Hermit Thrush, all 

 being subspecies of the Alaska Hermit, which is found 

 only as a migrant in this country, crossing from the 

 northwest across Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and New 

 Mexico. Audubon's Hermit breeds in the Rocky Moun- 

 tain region from Montana south to Nevada, Arizona, 

 and New Mexico; wintering in Texas and south. These 

 birds resemble the others in plumage and ways and will 

 not be dwelt upon here. 



The form under consideration is a dweller of eastern 

 North America and our United States. It breeds south 

 to central Minnesota, northern Michigan, Ontario, Mas- 

 sachusetts, Connecticut, Long Island (locally), and 

 mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland; wintering 

 from Massachusetts (locally) and the lower Delaware 

 and Ohio Valleys to Texas, Florida, and Cuba. 



It is a little over seven inches long, and the upper 

 parts are a rich olive-brown, with the tail a rufous shade 

 which is quite different from the back, making a dis- 

 tinctive marking for this species. The throat and breast 

 have a slightly buffy tinge, the feathers on side of throat 

 having black, wedge-shaped markings, while the breast 



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