THrush WESTERN BIRDS 



The winters of 1919 and 1920 my yard was full of 

 these birds, drawn there by the berries on my big pepper 

 trees and by the water which was always out, and which 

 they seemed to need after eating the peppers. Like the 

 Cedar Waxwings (and for that matter other birds) they 

 disgorge the inner hard pellet of the berry, the drinking 

 basin often being full of them. These Robins freely 

 sang their song, which took one back to the east, where 

 it is so common a melody. 



GENUS IXOREUS : VAEIED THRUSH. 



Varied Thrush: Ixoreus ncevius ncevius. 

 FAMILY— THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC. 



The Varied Thrush, also known as the Oregon Robin, 

 Painted Robin, Mountain Robin, etc., resembles the 

 Robin in size and coloring, but is handsomer. It is 

 about ten inches long; has dark slate upper parts with 

 tips of outer tail feathers white. The breast, two wing 

 bars, and a stripe over the eye are a bright orange 

 brown ; side of head and a crescent across the breast is a 

 dull black. 



It is to be regretted that this most beautiful of all the 

 Thrushes is a resident only from northern California, 

 north, and is seen throughout the rest of the State as 

 a rare winter visitor, only, coming as far south as the 

 Colorado River. It is reported as accidental in Kansas, 

 New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Quebec, and 

 Guadalupe Islands. 



One May I had the pleasure of calling upon these 

 birds in their chosen haunts among the big Sequoias, be- 

 side a trickling stream, in Eureka, California. Well 

 did they fit into the quiet and grandeur of this wonder- 

 ful spot. In these same woods we saw Russet-backed 



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