TURDID.E. CLXXIX. 313 



bbbb. Reddish color of back chiefly confined to the tail. 



1023. T. aonalaschkse Gmelin. HERMIT THRUSH. Olive 

 brown above, becoming rufous on rump and tail ; breast with nu- 

 merous, rather distinct, dusky spots ; a whitish orbital ring. L. 7. 

 W. 3^. T. 2^. N. Am., migrating early; a sweet singer. The 

 Eastern bird, var. pallasi Cabanis, is more " smoky " in hue, the 

 tail a little less red, the bill larger. (From Unalaska Island.) 



533. MERULA Leach. (Lat., merle or blackbird.) 



1024. M. migratoria (L.). ROBIN. AMERICAN RED BREAST. 



Olive gray above ; head and tail blackish ; throat white, with black 

 streaks ; under parts chestnut brown. L. 9^. W. 5^. T. 4^. N. 

 Am., everywhere abundant ; a familiar, easy-going bird. 



534. HESPEROCICHLA Baird. (onrcpa, sunset ; 



Kix^rj, thrush.) 



1025. H. naevia (Gmelin). OREGON ROBIN. Slate color, or- 

 ange brown below ; throat not streaked ; with black collar. L. 

 9|. W. 5. T. 4. Pacific slope, rarely straying E. (Lat., spotted.) 



535. SIALIA Swainson. (o-taX/y, name of some bird ; 

 trtaXoff, plump.) 



1026. S. sialis (L.). COMMON BLUE BIRD. Bright blue above, 

 throat and breast reddish brown (" the sky on its back and the 

 earth on its breast ") ; belly white ; 9 usually duller, with a brown- 

 ish tinge on back ; young, as in others, spotted. L. 6^. W. 4. 

 T. 3. E. N. Am., abundant ; breeds everywhere ; one of our most 

 attractive and familiar birds. 



1027. S. mexicana Swainson. WESTERN BLUE BIRD. Head, 



neck all around and upper parts generally, deep bright blue ; back 

 with more or less chestnut ; breast and sides reddish brown, throat 

 bluish ; size of last. Pacific slope, rarely E. to Iowa. 



1028. S. arctica Swainson. ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUE BIRD. 

 Rich greenish blue ; breast also blue ; belly white ; 9 with pale 

 drab instead of blue, on breast, etc.; size of others, or smaller. 

 Rocky Mountains, E. to Missouri R. ; the prettiest of thrushes and 

 one of the most attractive of our birds. 



With this beautiful bird we close the long series of feathered 

 Sauropsida. 



The next class, the Mammalia, is widely different from the birds, 

 but its lowest forms, the Monotremes, approach the common rep- 

 tilian stock from which both mammals and birds have probably 

 sprung. 



