102 Proceedings of the 



the trees along the Middle Loup river. This is a rather 

 early date for the appearance of this bird in Nebraska 

 although it ocnrs commonly a week or two later in the 

 more northwestern part of the state. 



136. Myadcstcs tozvnscndi (Audubon) — Townsend Solitaire. 



Several pairs were noted about the seed-beds, October 

 27-29, 1910 by M. H. Swenk. "They were industriously 

 catching insects with all the skill of a flycatcher, at in- 

 tervals giving their peculiar wild call note. According 

 to the men on the Reserve this bird passes through reg- 

 ular! v each spring and fall. A specimen was taken on 

 October 27." 



137. Hylocichla mustcUna (Gmelin) — Wood Thrush. 



The only record for the Wood Thrush at hand is one 

 made by R. II. Wolcott in July, 1908. 



138. Hylocichla fuscescens salicicola Ridgway — Willow 



Thrush. 



When I reached Ilalsey in May, 1912, there were Willow 

 Thrushes present among the trees in the Loup valley and 

 others were found also on May 26 in the valley of the 

 Dismal. May 27 I saw the last one near the Reserve, 

 although a few of the Olive-backed Thrushes, with which 

 the present species was associated, remained about the 

 neighborhood for a few days longer. 



These thrushes were exceedingly wary, and would not 

 allow the least approach, but at the first advance in their 

 direction would slip away through the undergrowth and 

 disappear, and it was often difficult to find them again so 

 perfectly did tliey elude pursuit. Their rather dull plum- 

 age was none too conspicuous in the shadows, and the 

 quietness of the v/earers did not add to its prominence. 

 The rather brighter coloration of the back of this species 

 served to separate it from the Olive-backed in the field, 

 as did the brighter hue of the breast, although the latter 

 character Vv'as less often apparent, owing to the position 

 that the birds usually took with their back toward the 

 observer, watching him over their shoulder and ready to 

 disappear at the slightest provocation. 



139. Hylocichla xistiilata swautsoni — (Tschudi) — Olive-backed 



Thrash. 



Like their companions the Willow Thrushes, these 

 tlu'ushes were shy and retiring. Not once do I remember 

 to have heard them utter a sound of any description. They 



