646 HISTORY OF THE 



Habitat. Eastern United States; north to Newfoundland, 

 the Magdalen Islands, Manitoba, etc. ; west to the plains; breed- 

 ing from about latitude 41° northward; wintering in the Soutli- 

 ern States and Cuba. (Keplaced in the Rocky Mountain regions 

 by T.fuscescens salicicolus. I think that I have seen this bird 

 in western Kansas, but am not certain.) 



Sp. Char. Above, uniform rather light fulvous brovpn, varying in precise 

 shade; no trace of a lighter orbital ring, tiie sides of the head being nearly uni- 

 form grayish, as in T. aliciw. Jugulum and posterior portion of throat creamy 

 buff, with cuneate spots of brown, usually a little darker than the color of the 

 crown, these markings narrower and more distinct anteriorly; chin and upper 

 part of throat nearly white, immaculate, but bordered along each side by a Ion. 

 gitudinal series of brown streaks, sometimes blended into a single stripe, below 

 an ill-defined whitish or buffy malar stripe; lores pale grayish or grayish white; 

 auriculars darker and more brownish. Sides of breast, sides and flanks light 

 brownish gray, the sides of the breast sometimes faintly spotted with a deeper 

 shade, but frequently uniform; tibia grayish white in front, brown on posterior 

 side; rest of lower parts pure white. In summer the colors paler; in fall and 

 winter the brown above brighter, the buff of jugulum deeper, and spots darker. 

 {Ridgway.) 



Iris brown; bill — -upper and end of under dusky; rest pale 

 flesh color; legs flesh color; feet and claws brown. 



These birds occasionally visit the upland groves and gardens, 

 but their true home is within the deep woods, on swampy 

 grounds and moist lands bordering the sloughs and streams. 

 Happy birds ! in their deep, gloomy, solitary surroundings, that 

 sing sweetly in the breeding season from early morn until late 

 at eve; and so softly do some of the notes fall, the hearer must 

 listen to catch its full, tender, soul-stirring melody, which, to 

 my ear, rings out louder and clearer as the shades of niglit 

 deepen. Their ordinary note is a sharp, liquid "Chirp," ut- 

 tered at times in a harsh, scolding manner. 



The birds are rather shy, and on account of their retiring 

 habits and unfrequented haunts, much more common throughout 

 their range than they are generally supposed to be. Like the 

 Wood Thrush, they live in the lower branches of the trees, and 



