IIEKMIT TIlllL'S^Il. 677 



TiJRDUS PALLASII. 

 Hermit Thrush 



'l'ui\ius ()allasii Cabanis, Wiegmann's Archiv, Ib-i", I, p. 2U.J. 



DESCRIPTIUN. 



Sp. Oh. Furm, not robust. Bill, not long but rather slender. Tongue, bifid, and fringed for about 

 oue-f-iurtli its length. Breadth 'if scfrmuu, nut greatly e.xceediug the depth of the marginal indentations. 



Color. Adult. Above, dark reddisii brown, which becomes 

 bright rufous on the rump and tail ; the latter sometimes has a de- 

 cided purplish tinge. Beneath, white, with numerous triangular spots 

 of brown on the throat and breast. These spots vary in shade, num- 

 ber and size, being larger and darker on the middle of the breast, and 

 lighter on the lower part of it. Those on the sides of the throat near 

 the base of the bill show a tendency to cluster and form maxillary 

 stripes. A ring around the eye, and the under tail coverts, pale bufi'. 

 A spot in front of the eye, wiiite, intermingled with dark feathers. 

 The feathers of the crown have also darker centers. tJides of the head, 

 neck and flanks, of the same color as the back but some shades paler, 

 adult Feathers of the ear coverts, olivaceous, with narrow central lines of 

 Hermit Thrush. pale yellow. There is a broad band of buft' beneath the wings, com- 



mencing on the inner sides, and, spreading as it advances, reaches 

 nearly to the outer quill feathers, extending over nearly three-fourths of the nmer marginal length of the 

 primaries. Iris and bill, dark brown, with the lower mandible of the latter, yellow. F'eet, pale brown. 

 Young, similar, but darker on the back, with a tinge of rufous over the chin, throat and breast. The two 

 rows of coverts are also tipped with yellowish, forming bars across the wings. The bauds on the under side 

 of the wings are deeper in color. The outer sides of the wings are decidedly rufous, very nearly as dark as 

 that of the upper portions of the tail. Feathers of the wings and tail, slightly tippeil with yellowish white. 



observatio:ns. 



This species may be distinguished from T. swainsonii and aliciae by the foxy tail and buff under tail 

 coverts. It differs from T. fuscescens in the darker and larger spots on the breast, besides which T. fusces- 

 cens is more uniform in color on the upper parts. 1 have never met with this species m the nestling 

 plumage, but judge that it differs from the adult much as in the preceding species. The Hermit Thrush has 

 a distribution somewhat similar to the Olive-backed, but is, if anything, more tsouthern dui'ing the breeding 

 season. It winters in great numbers in Florida, and the other extreme southern states. 



DiMP:iN'SI0xN8. 

 Length, from G.UU to 7.60; stretch, 10.77 to l^.bo; wing, 8.27 to o.li-l ; tail, 2.4:0 to 8.17; bill, .40 to 

 .75 ; tarsus, 1.00 to 1.25. 



DESCiUPTlUi^ VF NESTS AiND EGGS. 



Nests, composed outwardly of dried grasses, twigs, leaves and mosses ; rather smoothly lined with finer 



grasses, mosses, and fibrous roots. It is well proportioned to the size of the bird. Dimensions. External 



diameter, 5.00 inches ; internal, 2.50 inches. External depth, oAXi inches ; internal, 2.00 inches. Eggs, 



rather elongated in form, pale green in color, generally unspotted. Dimensions, from .88 by .GO to .02 by .(35. 



HABITS. 

 The Hermit Til ru.-^li makes its appi-arancr in Florida aliout the lirst of Novemher 

 and soon scatters over tlie maiiilaiid of the state. H IrecjUents the dense undergrowth of" 



