THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC. 397 



peated eight or nine times around a series of intertwining circles, the 

 description may enable you to recognize the Veery's song. 



The Veery has a double personality, or he may repeat the notes of 

 some less vocally developed ancestor, for on occasions he gives utter- 

 ance to an entirely uncharacteristic series of caching notes, and even 

 mounts high in the tree to sing a hesitating medley of the same un- 

 musical cacks, broken whistled calls, and attempted trills. Fortu- 

 nately, this performance is comparatively uncommon, and to most of 

 us the Veery is known only by his own strange, unearthly song. His 

 notes touch chords which no other bird's song reaches. The Water- 

 Thrush is inspiring, the Wood and Hermit Thrushes "serenely exalt 

 the spirit," but the Veery appeals to even higher feelings ; all the 

 wondrous mysteries of the woods find a voice in his song ; he thrills 

 us with emotions we can not express. 



756a. T. f. salicicolus {Ridgw.). Willow Thrush.— Similar to the 

 preceding, but with the upper parts slightly darker. 



Range. — Eocky Mountains, north to British Columbia; south in winter to 

 the tropics ; migrates as far east as Illinois and, casually, South Carolina. 



757. Turdus alicise Baird. Gray-cheeked Thrush. .4<^.— Upper 

 parts uniform olive., practically no difference between the colors of the back 

 and tail ; eye-ring whitish, lores grayish ; middle of the throat and middle 

 of the belly white ; sides of the throat and breast with a very faint tinge of 

 cream-buff; the feathers of the sides of the throat spotted with wedge-shaped 

 marks, those of tlie breast with half-round black marks ; sides brownish gray 

 or brownish ashy. L., 7-58 ; W., 4-09 ; T., 2-96 ; B., -55. 



Remarls.—1\\Q uniform olive of the upper parts of this species at once 

 separates it from our eastern Thrushes except its subspecies MchielU and the 

 Olive-backed Thrush. From the latter it may be known by the comparative 

 absence of buff on the breast and sides of the throat, by its whitish eye-ring 

 and grayish lores. 



Range.— ^orth America ; breeds in Labrador and northwestward to Alas- 

 ka ; migrates through eastern North America to Central America. 



Washington, rather common T. V., May 10 to June 5 ; Sept. 10 to Oct. 10. 

 Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., May 15 to June 1; Sept. 20 to Oct. 17. 

 Cambridge, uncommon T. V., May 15 to 25 ; Sept. 25 to Oct. 6. 



Nest, of grasses, leaves, strips of fine bark, etc., lined with fine grasses, in 

 low trees or bushes. Eggs, four, greenish blue, spotted with rusty brown, 

 •92 X -07. 



During its migrations Alice's Thrush may be found associated with 

 the Olive-backed Thrush, from which it can be distinguished in life 

 only by an expert. It is a rather shy bird, and is apt to fly up from 

 the ground to some low limb, and, after a moment's pause, seek a more 

 distant perch before one reaches fair opera-glass range. 



This species has been so long confused with Bicknell's Thrush that 



