TURDID.K. I^I 



placed " about six inches to a foot above the ground, fixed upon 

 some dead branch or in a patch of fallen branches, generally but little 

 concealed. " 



Hylocichla Alicisv IJickuolli Rid<r\v. Hicknell's Thrush. 



Regarding this Thrush little at present can be said beyond what 

 has already been made public — by Mr. Ridgway in his introduction 

 of the bird,"-' and by the writer in the paper previously cited. Since 

 the latter appeared, however, the Slide Mountain was again visited 

 by the writer, in company with Dr. A. K. P'isher, and the bird met 

 with as before; but although a night was passed on the mountain, 

 and an afternoon and morning spent in exploration, with this bird 

 directly in view, a single specimen only was secured. This result 

 was owing to the difficulty of detecting the birds in the dense balsam 

 growth they principally inhabited before they had been startled by 

 the unavoidable sound of approach; and not seldom were they heard 

 singing at close quarters as secure as if out of range. Although no 

 one of this species was actually identified in the act of singing, cir- 

 cumstantial evidence seems demonstrative that a song must be at- 

 tributed to it which was neither that of the Hermit, or Olive-backed 

 Thrush, — at least, differed from the usual songs of these species, both 

 of which were to be heard singing at the same time, — but was very 

 similar to that of the Gray-cheeked Thrush, as the latter is heard on 

 its spring migration. This granted, the bird may be considered com- 

 mon about the mountain top. The songs referred to were, in fact, 

 like that, as I recalled it, of the type specimen of H. ' Bicknclli, which 

 was shot while sinoinof. 



The dimensions of the single specimen secured agree closely with 

 those of the two which were previously taken, and are as follows in 

 inches and hundredths : length, 7.22; wing, 3.60; tail, 2.90; tarsus, 

 1.20; middle toe, .67; bill, culmen and from nostril, .53-38. The 

 length of the original Slide Mountain specmiens was 7.28 and 7.40 

 inches, but the latter figures are excessive as the bird was limp when 

 measured. The singular shape of the bill of these specimens which 

 was remarked upon by Mr. Ridgway, does not hold with the latest 

 taken example. In this, the bill, as compared with the former, is less 

 slender, with the base of the culmen instead of being depressed 

 plainly elevated in outline, so much so, indeed, as to suggest an 

 abnormality. 



Hylocichla iistulata Swainsoiii (Cab.) Ridgw. Olive -backed Thrush. 



Not uncommon on the mountains, especially in the balsam woods 



of the Slide, and in full soncr. An adult male taken at the top of 



*" Descriptions of two new Thrushes from the United States." Proceedings U. S. National 



Museum, IV, 374-379. 



