136 BULLETIN 196, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Taylor and Shaw (1927) show a photograph, taken by Mr. and 

 Mrs. Finley, near the Third Crossing Bridge on the Washington 

 Cascades, Paradise River. It was "in the branches of a scrub fir 

 that hung down from the top of a rock wall a few feet above the 

 rushing waters and not more than 20 feet from the railing of the 

 bridge." The only nest found by Mr. Belding (1889a) "was in a 

 hazel bush (Corylus) about three feet from the ground; was about 

 five inches across the top and about half as deep ; composed of small 

 roots and lined with shreds of the bark of incense cedar (Librocedrus) , 

 with moss, lichens and dead leaves on the exterior." 



Eggs. — The Sierra hermit thrush lays three to five eggs to a set, 

 but most commonly four. These are similar to the eggs of other 

 hermit thrushes of similar size. The measurements of 30 eggs average 

 21.8 by 16.4 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 

 23.3 by 16.8, 22.8 by 17.3, 20.3 by 16.3, and 23.0 by 15.5 millimeters. 



Behavior. — Grinnell and Storer (1924) describe the behavior of 

 hermit thrushes very well as follows: 



The demeanor of the hermit thrush is quiet and deliberate. When foraging 

 on the ground it acts in much the same manner as a robin, hopping several times 

 in quick succession and then halting upright and immobile for a few seconds to 

 scan the immediate vicinity before going forward again. There is this important 

 difference, however: The hermit thrush seldom forages out in the open, and if it 

 dees it never goes far away from cover, to which it can flee in case of need. When 

 foraging on shaded ground strewn with dead leaves its characteristic performance 

 is to seize a leaf in its bill and throw it to one side with a very quick movement 

 of the head, following this with an intent gaze at the spot uncovered. A thrush 

 will flick over leaf after leaf in this manner, every now and then finding some 

 insect which is swallowed, as is a berry, at one gulp. Hermit thrushes thus make 

 use of a source of food not sought after by other birds; fox sparrows may forage 

 over the same ground, but they are after seeds, which they get at by scratching. 

 The thrushes do not use their feet at all for uncovering food. The thrushes' 

 legs are relatively long, so that the birds stand high, and have consequently an 

 increased scope of vision. 



Taylor and Shaw (1927) write: "Curiosity is a marked trait. Once 

 while we visited our traps a thrush appeared within 15 feet. At short 

 intervals it gave a whistled twhit or whooit call. Frequently, but not 

 always, one, two, or three wing flirts were given at the same time as 

 the call. The bird seemed torn between conflicting emotions, once 

 or twice making as if to leave, but each time curiosity got the better 

 of it and it remained. It cocked first one eye at the intruder, then 

 the other. Once it scratched the corner of its mouth. It remained 

 on the lower branches of a western hemlock usually 12 to 15 feet above 

 the ground." 



Hermit thrushes usually are seen in dense thickets in deep forests, 

 or in the lower branches of the larger trees, but Mr. Belding (1889b) 

 says that the Sierra hermit thrush sometimes "wanders at a consider- 



