Birds of Oregon and Washington 145 



THE SAGE THRASHER. 



General Description : 



Upper parts : plain brownish-gray. 



Under parts : dull white, spotted and streaked 



with dusky. 

 Length, 9 inches. 

 Found in sage-brush of eastern Oregon and Washing- 

 ton. 



People in the region of the sage-brush in 

 eastern Oregon and Washington, must be more 

 or less familiar with the bird, very common there, 

 and altogether worthy of an intimate acquaint- 

 ance. The bird is widely distributed over the 

 sage-brush plains of western North America. It 

 nests in the brush and in service-berry bushes, 

 and pours forth a beautiful song that befits both 

 his kind and his surroundings. His singing is 

 of the Mockingbird order, for he is said to imi- 

 tate not only other birds, but almost the cries of 

 quadrupeds and the voices of men. He some- 

 times nests upon mountain sides, and is called 

 the " Mountain Mockingbird." 



Particular Description. — Above, brownish-gray ; 

 wings, edged with white, and two white wing-bars ; tail, 

 edged with white ; throat, breast, and abdomen, dull 



