ThniBhes SONG-BIRDS. 



The early ornitliologists were rather mixed as to the 

 identity of the Hermit, Gray-cheeked, and Olive-backed 

 Thrushes. Samuels calls the latter the least common of 

 New England Thrushes, while Nuttall confused the Hermit 

 with the Wood Thrush. 



The Olive-backed Thrush comes quite freely to the gar- 

 den, rather early in the spring migration, at the time when 

 the other migratory Thrushes and northern-breeding Spar- 

 rows appear, and hops about quite sociably, but seldom gives 

 any other sound than its liquid call note. Its identification 

 is easy, owing to the even olive colour of its back, and it 

 entirely lacks the tawny warmth of its kin. This colour 

 difference of the Thrushes is tritely summed up on page 60 

 of Stearns & Coues's " New England Bird-life " : " The Wood 

 Thrush is tawny, turning to olive on the rump. The Her- 

 mit is olive, turning to ta^vny on the rump. The Olive-back 

 is entirely olive. The Veery is entirely tawny." When 

 seen feeding with the Wood Thrush along the garden edges, 

 this colour difference appealed to me very plainly, as well 

 as the greater slimness of the Olive-back. 



Mr. Nehrling says that this Thrush, in company with the 

 Veery and Wood Thrush, is killed in great hordes, by the 

 miserable pot-hunters about New Orleans, on its return in 

 the fall migration ; so that even sober plumage is no protec- 

 tion, and the fact that our country is not wholly birdless 

 goes far to prove the wonderful power that Nature uses in 

 her struggle with the destructive side of man. 



Hermit Thrush : Turdus aonalaschhce pallasiu 



Plate 8. Fig. 1. 



Length: 7-7.25 inches. 



Male and Female : Above olive-brown, reddening on the rump. Yel- 

 lowish eye ring. Throat, sides of neck, and breast washed with 

 buff and thickly sprinkled with brown arrowheads growing 

 larger on belly. Under parts white. Bill blackish above, lower 

 mandible light ; feet hght brown. 



^ongr : Flute-like, ascending. " spheral, spheral ! O holy, holy ! O 

 clear away, clear away ! clear up, clear up ! " (Burroughs.) 



Season : Comes in the migrations before other northern Thrushes. 



62 



