TURDID.E — THE THRUSHES. ■ 17 



in May and remaining until the beginning of Septemhev. Three specimens 

 of this thrush were obtained at Sitka, by JMr. Bischoff. Mr. liidgvvay met 

 with only a single specimen east of the Sierra Nevada, though on that range 

 lie found it an abundant summer bird. 



In its general appearance it has a marked resemblance to Wilson's Thrush 

 {T. fusccscens), but its habits and notes, as well as its nest and eggs, clearly 

 ])oint its nearer attinity to Swainson's Thrush {T. swahisoni), its song being 

 scarcely different from that of the latter species. Like this species, it fre- 

 (pients the thickets or brushwood along the mountain streams, and, except 

 just after its arrival, it is not at all shy. In crossing the Sierra Nevada in 

 July, 18G7, Mr. Ilidgway iirst met with this species. He describes it as an 

 exquisite songster. At one of the caujps, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, 

 they were found unusually plentiful. He speaks of their song as consisting 

 of " ethereal warblings, — outljursts of wild melody." " Although its carols 

 were heard everywhere in the depth of the ravine, scarcely one of the little 

 musicians could be seen." " The song of this thrush," he adds, " though 

 possessing all the wild, solenni melody of that of the Wood Thrush (T. 

 mufitclinus) is weaker, but of a much finer or more silvery tone, and more 

 methodical delivery. It is much like that of the T. sivainsoni, but in the 

 qualities mentioned is even superior." 



Dr Coo})er found its nests with eggs aliout the middle of June. These 

 were most usually built on a small horizontal branch, and were very strongly 

 cMjnstructed of twigs, grasses, roots, and lea^'es, usually covered on the outside 

 entirely with the bright green ITi/jmvm mosses peculiar to that region, which 

 in the damp climate near the coast continue to grow in that position, and 

 form large masses. The number of eggs is usually five. 



Dr. Cooper states that these thrushes sing most in the early morning and 

 in the evening, when numbers may be heard answering one another on all 

 sides. They do not affect the darkest thickets so much as the Hermit 

 Thrush, but are often seen feeding in the gardens in the open sunshine. 



Dr. Suckley, who found them quite abundant in the neighborhood of Fort 

 Steilacoom, on the edge of the forest, and in swampy land, describes the song 

 as a low, soft, sad, and lively whistle, confined to one note, and repeated at 

 regular intervals. Mr. Nuttall, the first to describe this form, speaks of 

 it as shy and retiring, and as in the habit of gathering insects from the 

 ground. His ear, so quick to appreciate the characteristics of the songs of 

 birds, which showed a close resemblance between the notes of this bird and 

 that of Wilson's Thrush (T. fusccscens), enabled him to detect very distinct 

 and easily recognizable differences. It is much more interrupted and is not 

 so prolonged. The warble of this bird he describes as resend^ling loit-icit 

 t'vUlia, and wit-ivii, t'vilHa-t'villia. His call when surprised was %oit-Vjit. 



All the nests of this species that have fallen under my observation are 

 large, compact, strongly constructed, and neat. They measure about 5 

 inches in their external diameter, with a d(>ptli externally of 3 ; the cavity 



