332 Birds of North Carolina 



fall. At Weaverville Cairns recorded it from September 11 to November 10, and 

 stated that he once killed one on Black Mountain in August. 



The nest is said to be placed only a few feet from the ground against the trunk 

 of a coniferous tree. The eggs are light bluish green, speckled \\-ith brown. Size 

 .87 X .63. 



This is merely a smaller and more southerly nestinf^ form of the Cray-cheeked 

 Thrush, and the two intergrade in size, so identification is often difficult. 



339. Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni (Tsch.). Olive-backed Thrush. 



Description: Ad. — Tpperparts uiiiforiii olive; bark and tail practically tlio samo color; eye- 

 ring deep crcani-buff, lores tlip same; whole throat and breast with a strong tinge of deep cream- 

 buff or even oehraccous-lniff; the feathers of the sides of the tliroat with wedge-shaped black spot-s 

 at their tips, tho.se of the breast with rounded bl.-ick spots at their tips; middle of the belly white; 

 sides brownish gray or brownish ashy. I... 7.17; \\ ., 3.93; T., 2.7(j; B., ..")0. 



Jieniarks. — This bird will be confused only with the (iray-eheeked and Hieknell's Thrushes, 

 from which it differs in the much stronger suffusion of buff on the throat and breast, its buff eye- 

 ring and lores. (Chap., liiriln iif I'J. X. A.) 



Hiiiiyc. — North .\merica, except the Pacific coast, breeding mainly north of the United States, 

 wintering in extreme southern I'nitc-d St;ites and southward. 



Range in North Carolina. — Transient in the central section of the State, occasionally breeds in 

 the mountains. 



^2^.: 



FlO. 273. OLIVF.B.XCKEn Thrcsh. 



The Olive-liacked Thrush has l)een observed at Raleigh from .\pril 22 to May 

 17 in the spring, and from September 25 to October 17 in the fall. .\t Chai)el Hill 

 it was taken on September 26 and October 9, 1897 (Pearson). In the mountains 

 we find it recorded from Blowing Hock Sept(-ml)er 12. 1898 (Koi)mau), and from 

 Weaverville Ai)ril 4 to 6, 1890, aitd September 2 to October 16. Cairns took a 

 nest May 20, 1896, on Cragg>' Mountain (Smithwick's Catalogue), and Da\ds, in 

 a migration schedule for 1899 from .\slieville, says it has been taken twice in sum- 

 mer on the higher mountains. 



The nest is built in a bush or small tree usually from four to eight feet from the 

 ground, and is composed of leaves, shreds of bark, small twigs, and moss. The 

 three or four eggs are greenish blue, sjieckled with rcddisli brown. Size .92 x .66. 



340. Hylocichla guttata pallasi {Cab.). Hekmit Thrush. 



Dcxcripliiin: Ail. — l'pi>erparls olive-brown, sometimes cinnamon-browTi; tail pale rufous, of a 

 distinctly different color from the back; throat and breast with a slight buffy tinge; feathers of 

 the sides of the throat with wedge-shaiied black sjjots at their tips; those of tlie breast wUhJarge, 

 rounded spots; middle of the bellv white; sides brownish gray or brownisli ashy. I,., 7.17; \\ ., 

 S-.W; T., 2.74; H., ..51. 



