THE OREGON NATURALIST. 
THE GOLDEN CROWNED THRUSH. 
By C. O. Ormsbee. 
It is universally conceded that the Golden 
Robin surpasses all other New England birds 
in the ingenuity with which it constructs its 
nest; but following closely in its wake is the 
Golden Crowned Thrush. This bird has var- 
ious names, corresponding with the localities 
where it is found, and is, perhaps, better known 
as Ov-n Berd, which name isgiven it on account 
of the peculiar form of its nest which will be 
described later. Another common name is, 
Wood Wagtail, which is given by reason of a 
peculiar jerking motion it gives to its tail 
when at rest. It is also known as Night Thrush, 
for the reason that its most pleasing song is 
Some writers, and more 
especially, Prof. Cook, of Michigan says, 
that it sings during all hours of the night. 
With this statement it may be true in some 
Its voice 
uttered after dark. 
localities, it is not true in this State. 
may be heaid in cloudy weather and in the 
evening, but when darkne's fairly sets in this 
bird is as silent as it is during a bright, sunny 
day. 
Its scientific names are as numerous as its 
common names. According to the nomencla- 
ture of Linneaus, it is the Motacilla aurocapil- 
Wilson called it Turdus  aurocapillus, 
Seiurus 
lus. 
and Swainson named it au ocapillus, 
and Nutall combined these names and called 
But no 
matter by what name it is known the bird it- 
it Turdus (Seiurus) aurocapillus. 
self is the same, although its habits seem to dif- 
fer slightly according to the locality in which it 
lives. 
I shall endeavor to give, in this article an 
account of its habits in Vermont, and my only 
authority will be my own observations. 
The Golden Crowned Thrush is quite com- 
mon in all parts of this state, but. by reason of 
its shy and retiring habits, prefering, as it 
does, the thick woods, and remaining hidden 
during a great part of the day time, it is not of- 
ten seen and hence is called a rare bird. Its 
food consists chiefly of larvae though it eats 
large numbers of insects, but it never catches 
21 
them while upon the wing. It is migratory 
and arrives in this locality about the middle of 
May. I believe that it mates only for a single 
season and selects a new partner each spring. 
At any rate it does not begin to build its 
nest for a month or more after its arrival, and 
it isseldom ready for occupancy before the first 
of July. It builds on the ground, generally 
selecting a grassy knoll in a comparatively 
open place in a thick wood. Its nest is made 
of grass which is ingeniously twisted together 
instead of being woven, as is the case with 
most other nests. The nest is carefully roofed 
over, with a covering of twisted grass, and is 
so thoronghly built that it will shed the water 
of quite a severe rain-storm. In shape it re- 
sembles an old-fashioned brick oven, with an 
opening in the side. In this opening, if one 
approaches carefully may often be seen both 
birds. If disturbed they fly in different direct- 
ions, and each utters a peculiar plaintive note 
at first and then is ‘silent. Some have stated 
that it pretends to be wounded and endeavors 
to draw the intruder from its nest. My own 
observations lead me to the conclusion that its 
peculiar actions at this time result from the 
most abject terror. 
Both birds assist in building the nest and the 
time required is from a week to ten days. 
Then the eggs are laid; generally one each 
The 
eggs are white with a slight, creamy tinge and 
day, but sometimes a day is skipped. 
are irregularly spotted with irregular spots of a 
brownish red color. No two are exactly alike. 
Incubation requires about twelve days, dur- 
ing which time the female is continually on the 
nest, being fed by the male, who—when not 
hunting for food, also occupies a corner in the 
nest. When two weeks old, the young birds 
leave the nest and the birds disappear. 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
ZOOLOGICAL LIFE OF IDAHO. 
By John E. Rees, B. Sc. 
4 
2 
The Avian fauna of this country differs very 
materially at different seasons of the year; a 
