366 BULLETIN 195, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



the young, both birds flew at me and attacked me savagely ; they flew 

 at my face, once striking a stinging blow close to my eye and drawing 

 blood ; within a few seconds I was struck on the side of my head, and we 

 decided to withdraw from the scene of the battle, leaving the brave 

 birds masters of the situation. Mr. Job had had a similar experience 

 with fighting thrashers a few years previously; they attacked his 

 hands, when he attempted to touch the young, and scratched and bit 

 holes through the skin. 



Mrs. Amelia R. Laskey, of Nashville, Tenn., writes to me : "Almost 

 all brown thrashers show much concern when I look into the nest or 

 remove young for banding. Most of them scold or squeal excruciat- 

 ingly as if suffering intense pain. I have found several individuals 

 that were very pugnacious in attacking me and very bold in their close 

 approach. Olie bird struck the top of my head with great force, 

 apparently striking with both feet. Another made a swift stab at my 

 temple, striking with its beak with such force as to draw blood. 

 Another attacked the hand, removing and replacing the young for 

 banding purposes, with such venom that drops of blood stood on 

 several fingers from jabs made by its beak," 



Mr. DuBois tells me of one that attacked him, alighting on his back 

 and swooping down repeatedly to strike his hat. And there are other 

 published reports of similar behavior toward human and other 

 enemies. Dr. B. H. Warren (1888) writes: "When their home is 

 invaded by a black snake, they assail such intruder in a most vigorous 

 manner. I once saw a dog, which had upset a nest containing young 

 Thrushes, forced to make a speedy retreat when attacked by the old 

 birds, who flew at his head and struck him in the eyes." Dr. T. M. 

 Brewer wrote to him as follows : 



I found a nest containing three eggs, which I removed, leaving in their places 

 three Robin's eggs, and retired to wait the issue. In a few moments the female 

 approached, gave the contents of the nest a hasty survey, and immediately flew 

 off. She returned in a short time in company with her mate, and both flew to 

 the nest apparently in the greatest rage, took each an egg in their claws, and 

 dashed it against the ground at a distance of more than a rod from the nest, the 

 female repeating the same to the other egg. This done, they continued for some 

 time to vent their rage on the broken eggs, tossing them about, and at the same 

 time manifesting their displeasure in every possible way. They afterwards 

 forsook the nest. 



But not all thrashers are too shy, hostile, or vindictive. In regions 

 where they are closely associated with human activities, notably in the 

 Midwest, some individuals have become quite tame and friendly, come 

 freely to feeding stations, bathe in bird baths, and have on rare oc- 

 casions been induced to feed from human hands (see Bird-Lore, vol. 

 10, p. 253, and vol. 20, p. 299) . Sidney E. Ekblaw ( 1918) reports the 

 following interesting experience: 



