HARPORHYNCHUS RUFUS : THRASHER. 



65 



BROWN THRUSH; THRASHER. 

 Harporhynchus RUFUS (Z.) Cab. 



Chars. Above, uniform rich rust-red, with a bronzy tint ; below, 

 white, more or less strongly tinged with tawny, especially on the 

 breast and flanks, and marked profusely with oval or lanceolate 

 spots of dark brown, which run up each side of the throat in a 

 chain. Throat, belly, and under tail-coverts only unspotted. 

 Wings and tail like the back, the tail-feathers having pale tips, 

 and the greater and median wing-coverts being blackish near 

 their ends, then conspicuously tipped with white. Bill black, 

 yellow at base below. Iris fine yellow. Length, about 11 inches; 

 extent, 12.50-14.00 ; wing, 3.75-4.25 ; tail, 5.00 or more ; bill, i.oo ; 

 tarsus, 1.25. 



The well-known Thrasher is a common summer 

 resident in southern New England, though less abun- 

 dant than the Cat-bird, and not extending so far north, 

 being de- 

 ci d ed 1 y 

 character- 

 istic of the 

 Alleghan- 

 ian Fauna. 

 It does not' 

 appear to 

 be so hardy 

 as its hum- 

 ble relative 

 just named, 

 and is sel- 

 dom if ever 



seen even in Connecticut after the first few days of 

 October. It arrives late in April, and is soon dispersed 



5 



Fig. 12. — Head of Thrasher. (Natural size.) 



