TURDID^ — THE THRUSHES. 



15 



AT 



It is, howTver, most widely distributed over nearly the entin^ continent, 

 l.reedini,' from latitude 44° to high Arctic regions. It winters in Guate- 

 mala and southward as far as Ecuador and Brazil. 



In its habits tliis thrush is noticeably different from the T palloai, l)ein 

 nuu'h more arboreal, frequenting thick woods ; mrely seen, except during its 

 mi«a'ations, in open ground, and seeking its food more among the branches 



of the trees. 



^Ir. liidgwav found this species very abundant among the Wahsatch 

 ^NFountains, where it was one of the most characteristic sununer birds of 

 that region. It was breeding plentifully in the canons, where its song 

 (!(>uhl be lieard almost continually. It inhabited an intermediate position 

 between T. audnhoni and T. fusccscem, delighting most in the shrubbery 

 along the streams of the canons and passes, leaving to the T. amJiihoni the 

 secluded ravines of the pine regions higher up, and to the T. fnmacens the 

 willow thickets of the river valleys. He did not meet with it farther west 

 tluin the East Humboldt Mountains. The song, in his opinion, resembles 

 that of the Wood Thrush {T. mmtcUnus) in modulations; but tlie notes 

 want the power, while they possess a finer and more silvery tone. 



The song of this species has a certain resemblance to that of T. pnllad, 

 being yet quite distinct, and the differences readily recognized by a familiar 

 ear. It is more prolonged; the notes are more equal and rise witli more 

 regularity and more gradually, are richer, and each note is more coiuplete in 

 itself. Its song of lamentation when rol)bed of its young is full of inde- 

 scribable pathos and beauty, liaunting one who has once heard it long after. 



When driven from the nest, the female always flies to a short distance 

 and conceals herself ; making no complaints, and offering no resistance. 



These birds, in a single instance, have been known to reach Eastern 

 Massachusetts early in April, in an unusually early season, bnt they 

 generally pass north a few weeks later. They make no prolonged stay, 

 and are with us rarely more than three or four days. Their return in 

 the fall appears to be, at times, by a more inland route. They are then 

 not so numerous near the coast, but occasionally are abundant. 



Their nests in Nova Scotia, wherever observed, were among the thick 

 woods, on horizontal branches of a forest-tree, usually about five feet from 

 the ground. Those observed in the Arctic regions by Mr. Kennicott were 

 frequently not more than two feet from the ground. 



The nests average about four inches in diameter and two in height, the 

 cavity being three inches wide by about one and a half deep. They are 

 more elaborately and neatly constructed than those of any other of our 

 thrushes, except perhmts of T. ustitlafvji. Conspicuous among the materials 

 are the Hijpnnm mosses, which by their dark fibrous masses give a very 

 distinctive character to these nests, and distinguish them from all except 

 those of the T. mtuJatus, which they resemble. Besides these materials are 

 found fine sedges, leaves, stems of equisetaceous plants, red glossy vegetable 



