THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, AND SOLITAIRES: Family Turdidae [471] 



in the fields. As soon as the snow melted the birds returned to their 

 usual haunts and again became shy, elusive shadows. 



Because of the intermingling of guttata and nanus in the Willamette 

 Valley, it is impossible to separate the early records according to present- 

 day conception of the races of Hermit Thrush. Anthony (1886) reported 

 Dwarf Hermit Thrushes common in Washington County. He also re- 

 ported to Belding (1890), whose statement was copied by Woodcock 

 (1902.), that it was a common summer resident whose first nest was seen 

 June 7, 1884. As the only thrush now breeding commonly in this district 

 is the Russet-backed Thrush, this record undoubtedly applies to it. 

 Woodcock's (1902.) own records from Corvallis of a "rare migrant, late 

 in both March and October," might well apply to this form in part. 

 The same may be said of Shelton's (1917) records of Lane County, though 

 we have found no evidence to support his statement that it breeds there. 

 The only other published records are our own (Jewett and Gabrielson 

 192.9) from the Portland area, consisting of the two Portland skins men- 

 tioned above. 



It will be noticed that several writers stated that Hermit Thrushes 

 bred in western Oregon, a statement that we have not yet been able to 

 substantiate. Hermit Thrushes do breed up to the Sikiyous and along 

 the higher parts of the Cascades, but no one has found them breeding in 

 the coast mountains of Oregon nor have we been able to obtain any sum- 

 mer skins, although a large part of the area would seem to be ideal 

 thrush territory. 



Monterey Hermit Thrush: 



Hylocichla guttata slevini Grinnell 



DESCRIPTION. "Above hair brown slightly browner on top of the head; upper tail- 

 coverts and tail isabella color. Ground color of under parts and sides of head white, 

 except a scarcely discernible tinge of cream buff across the breast; sides and flanks 

 faintly washed with drab gray. Spots on breast sepia, small in size and few in 

 number; a series extends on each side up to the ramus of the lower mandible forming 

 two malar stripes which enclose an immaculate throat patch. Outer surface of 

 closed wing isabella color." (Grinnell 1901.) "Similar to H. g. guttata, but paler 

 and grayer, and decidedly smaller." (Ridgway 1907.) Si^e: Length (skins) 5.00- 

 6.00, wing 3.07-3.43, tail z. 30-1. 80, exposed culmen .47-. 53. Nest and eggs: As in 

 preceding forms. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from Siskiyous of southern Oregon south through 

 coast mountains of California to southern Monterey County. In Oregon: Breeds in 

 that part of summit main ranges of Siskiyous that lies in Josephine and probably 

 Jackson County. 



ON JULY 17, 1933, the authors were encamped in the Siskiyous on the 

 California-Oregon line, where Gabrielson collected a thrush that proved 

 to be this form. We were certain that it was also in Oregon and resolved 



