24 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Northern Eussia. The general character 

 of its food, its inability to feed exclusively on berries, and the fact that 

 it perishes from starvation in severe winters, would seem to prove that its 

 occurrence in CJreenland so late as October must have been purely acci- 

 dental. It is not probal)le that its presence in North America will be found 

 to be a common event. 



The eggs measure 1.06 inches in length by .81 in breadth. The ground 

 color is a light green with a bluish tinge thickly covered with russet or 

 reddish-brown spots, confluent at the larger end. 



Subgenus PLANESTICUS, BoxXap. 



Planesticus, Bonap. Compte.s Rendus, 1854. (Type Tardus jamaicensis, Gmei.ik.) 



This section of tlie Thrushes is well represented in America, especially in 

 its middle and southern portions, and its members have a close resemblance 



to the typical European 

 species in the full form, 

 stout legs, etc., as already 

 stated. The spots on the 

 throat, and their absence 

 elsewhere on the under 

 part of the body, are suf- 

 ficient to distinguish them. 

 Of the two North Amer- 

 ican species one is the 

 well-known Eobin, the 

 other a closely related 

 form from Cape St. Lucas, 

 which indeed is probably 

 only a local race or variety, although nothing exactly like it has yet been 

 found away from Lower California. The following diagnosis may serve to 

 distinguish the two birds : — 



Common Characters. Throat white with dark streaks. Rest of under parts, 

 induding lining of wing, reddish or ochraceous; the anal region whitish; lower 

 eyelid white. Nest on trees. Eggs plain blue. 



Above slaty-olive, approaching to black on the head. Beneath rufous- 

 chestnut. Spot in lore and on upper eyelid of Avhite. Tail, 4.25. Hah. 

 Whole of North America; Mexico, south to Oaxaca and Cordova; Cuba 

 (very rare) and Tobago, of West Indies .... var. migratorius. 



Above dull grayish-ash, not darker on the head. Beneath pale yellowish- 

 buff; tinged with ashy across breast; a continuous white stripe from the 

 lores over and a quarter of an inch behind the eye. More white on belly 

 and flanks than in T. migratorius. Bill stouter; tail only 3.75, while the 

 wing is the same. JIab. Cape St. Lucas, Lower California . . var. confini s. 



Tiirdiis mismtoriiis. 



