Vol. XXVII 



1910 J McClintock, a Hermit Thrush Study. 409 



A HERMIT THRUSH STUDY. 



BY NORMAN MCCLINTOCK. 



Some forty miles northwest of Marquette, Mich., on the south 

 shore of Lake Superior, are situated the Huron Mountains of 

 granitic formation. Here are also found several wild and beauti- 

 ful inland lakes. The drainage of two of these, Pine Lake and 

 Mountain Lake, forms Pine River, the entire length of which, 

 before it empties into Lake Superior, is only about one and one 

 half miles. Three quarters of a mile from this river's outlet a 

 Hermit Thrush's nest containing four eggs was found by a boy, 

 upon July 24, 1907. The nest was built upon the sloping river 

 bank, fifteen feet from the water's edge, and with a southwestern 

 exposure. At an equal distance on another side of the nest was 

 a swamp overgrown with a thicket of alders, which bushes also 

 lined the river bank. The nest was placed on the ground beneath 

 a low huckleberry bush, the latter being overspread by the pendant 

 fronds of a fern brake. The surrounding vegetation of the im- 

 mediate vicinity consisted of little white pine seedlings, huckle- 

 berry bushes, brakes, wintergreen plants and trailing arbutus. 

 The region was also wooded, the trees consisting almost entirely 

 of pines — Noi^way, white and jack. 



Three days after the discovery of the nest, it was visited again, 

 when two of the eggs were hatched. On the day following, July 28, 

 there was a third young bird. The fourth egg proved to be 

 addled. 



It was not until x\ugust 2 that I was able to begin the following 

 observations, which were made from a dark green denim blind, 

 supported by an umbrella, according to Mr. F. M. Chapman's 

 specifications. 



From this blind I also secured a series of interesting photo- 

 graphs, several of which were published in ' The Outlook ' of April 

 23, 1910, together with a short account of my Hermit Thrush study. 



