604 HISTORY OF THE 



Genus HARPORHYNCHUS Cabanis. 



"Bill from forehead as long as, or much louger than, the head, becoming 

 more and more decurved in both jaws as lengthened. No indication of a notch. 

 Rictus with the bristles extending beyond the nostrils. Tarsus long and stout, 

 appreciably exceeding the middle toe and claw, strongly scutellate anteriorly. 

 Wings considerably shorter than tail, much rounded; the first quill more than 

 half the second; fourth or fifth longest. Tail large, much graduated; the feath- 

 ers firm." 



Subgenus METHRIOPTERUS Reichrnbach. 



Tarsus longer than exposed culmen; gouys much shorter than middle toe 

 without claw. Tail exceeding wing by not more than length of tarsus. Lower 

 parts more or less distinctly spotted or streaked (these markings sometimes ob- 

 solete in H. hendirei and H. palmeri). (Bidgway.) 



Harporhynchus rufus (Linn.). 



BROWN THRASHER. 

 PLATE XXXIV. 



Summer resident; abundant in the eastern part of the State; 

 not uncommon in the western portion. Arrive the last of March 

 to middle of April; begin laying early in May. The bulk leave 

 in September and October, a few remaining until late in the fall. 



B. 261, 261a. R. 13. C. 17. G. 9, 308. U. 705. 



Habitat. Eastern United States; north to southern Maine, 

 Ontario and Manitoba; west to the Rocky Mountains; south 

 through the Gulf States (replaced in western Texas by IL longi- 

 rostris). Breeds throughout its range. Winters from the Gulf 

 coast north into the Indian Territory and eastward, to about 

 latitude 37°. 



Sp. Char. "Exposed portion of the bill shorter than the head. Outline of 

 lower mandible straight. Above, light cinnamon red; beneath, pale rufous 

 white, with longitudinal streaks of dark brown, excepting on chin, throat, mid- 

 dle of the belly and under tail coverts. These spots anteriorly are reddish 

 brown in their terminal portion. The inner surface of the wing and the inner 

 edges of the primaries are cinnamon; the concealed portion of the quills other- 

 wise is dark brown. The median and greater wing coverts become blackish 

 brown towards the end, followed by white, producing two conspicuous bands. 

 The tail feathers are all rufous, the external ones obscurely tipped with whitish; 

 the shafts of the same color with the veins." 



