NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 



311 



[Greenish white.] 



[Greenish white.] 



705. Brown Thrasher. Toxostoma rufum. 



Range. Eastern North America, breeding from the Gulf States north to Can- 

 ada. Winters in the Gulf States and southward. 



This large, handsome songster is found breeding in just 

 such localities as are preferred by the Catbird and the two 

 are often found nesting in the same hedge or thicket. The tf * 

 nests, too, are similar but that of the Thrasher is usually 

 more bulky; besides building in bushes, they frequently 

 nest on the ground, lining the hollow under some bush 

 with fine rootlets. Their three to five eggs are laid during 

 May or June; they are whitish or pale greenish white, pro- 

 fusely dotted with reddish brown. Size 1 05 x .80. 



706. Sennett Thrasher. Toxostoma longirostre sennetti. 

 Range. Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. 



Very similar to the last but darker above and with the 

 spots on the breast blacker and more distinct. This species 

 which is very abundant in the Lower Rio Grande Valley 

 nests the same as the last species in thick hedges and the 

 eggs are very similar to those of the Brown Thrasher, but 

 in a large series, average more sparingly marked over the 

 whole surface and with a more definite wreath about the 

 large end. Data. Corpus Christi, Texas, May 12, 1899. 

 Nest of twigs and vines in a bush in thicket. Six feet from 

 the ground. Collector, F. B. Armstrong. 



707. Curve-billed Thrasher. Toxostoma curvirostre. 



Range. Mexico, north to southern Texas and eastern New Mexico. 



This species is a uniform ashy gray above and soiled 

 white below; the bill is stout and decurved. These birds 

 are as numerous in the Lower Rio Grande Valley as are 

 the Sennett Thrashers, frequenting thickets where they 

 breed in scrubby bushes and cacti. Their nests are 

 rather larger and more deeply cupped than are those of 

 the last species and the eggs can easily be distinguished. 

 They have a ground color of light bluish green, minute- 

 ly dotted evenly all over the surface with reddish brown. 



Size 1.10 x .80. Data. Brownsville, Texas, April 6, 1900. 5 eggs. Nest of 

 sticks and thorns on a cactus in a thicket; 6 feet from the ground. Collector, 

 Frank B. Armstrong. 

 707a. Palmer Thrasher. T. c. palmeri. 



Range. Very abundant in southern Arizona and southward into Mexico. 



The nesting habits and eggs of these birds are exactly like those of the last; 

 they show a preference for placing their nests of sticks and thorny twigs upon 

 cacti at elevations below five feet from the ground. Like the last, they generally 

 raise two broods a season. 



708. Bendire Thrasher. Toxostoma bendirei. 



Range. Southern Arizona and Mexico; north locally to southern Colorado. 



This species is not as abundant in the deserts of southern 

 Arizona as are the last species with which they associate. 

 They nest at low elevations in mesquites or cacti, laying 

 their first sets in March and early April and usually rais- 

 ing two broods a season; their three or four eggs are dull 

 whitish, spotted and blotched with brownish drab and lilac 

 gray. Size 1.00 x .72. Data. Tucson, Arizona, April 15, 

 1896. Nest 3 feet up in a cholla cactus; made of large sticks 

 lined with fine grasses. Collector, (). W. Howard. 



[Grayish white.] 



