223 



of song', and that among American birds it must be placed in 

 the front rank of feathered vocalists. The upper surface of the 

 adult male is glossy black, variegated with pure white; the 

 under surface, throat and neck being black ; breast, rich rosy 

 carnnne, remainder of lower surface, white. The adult female 

 is greenish-brown above, variegated with white ; ])elow : throat, 

 abdomen, and ventral region, whitish buff; breast and sides of 

 body, light buff, the breast strongly washed with yellow, both 

 the breast and sides are regularly striated with dark brown. It 

 is a migrant, wintering in the West Indies, Mexico, Central, 

 and Northern South America. It arrives early in Maj' and 

 departs with the fall of the leaf. Its food appears to be largely 

 beetles, etc., and it has a large economic value, being one of the 

 few birds that have a liking for the destructive Colorado potato- 

 beetle. The nest is an open cup -shaped structure; clutch 

 mostly four; colour of eggs, pale green, thickly speckled with 

 brown. These notes cannot be complete without quoting 

 Audubon's graphic account of the song. 



" One year, in the month of August, I was trudging along the shores of 

 " the Mohawk River, when night overtook me. I resolved to camp where 

 " I was. My little fire was soon liglited under a rock, and spreading out 

 "my scanty stock of provisions, I reclined on my grassy couch. The 

 "thoughts of my worldly mission came to my mind, and having thanked 

 "the Creator for his never-failing mercy, I closed my eyes and was pass- 

 "iiig away into the world of dreaming existence, when suddenly there 

 "burst on my soul the serenade of the Rose-breasted bird, so rich, so 

 "mellow, so loud in the stillne-ss of the night, that sleep iied from mj- eye- 

 "lids. Never did I enjoy music more : it thrilled through my heart, and 

 "surrounded me with an atmosphere of bliss. One might easily imagine 

 "that even the Owl, charmed by such delightful music, remained rever- 

 "eutly silent. Long after the sounds ceased did I enjoy them, and when 

 "all had again become still, I stretched out my wearied limbs, and gave 

 "myself up to the luxury of repose." 



SoMK Thrushes of North America : J. Dwight fittingly 

 describes them as: 

 "dainty of plumage and musical of voice" and as being "the most 

 "delightful members of the great bird population that spreads North- 

 "ward over the Continent in Spring, to retreat far Southward again in 

 "Autumn, before the snow and ice of a northern winter." 



Five specimens common to the North American Continent, 

 or portions of it, viz. : The Wood Thrush [Hylocichla mustelina), 

 Wilson's {H. fnscescens), Hermit (//. gniiata), Olive- backed 



