12- 



probable that extended examination of the woods .around 

 Estey's Pond, and the woods between it and the Station, would 

 show numbers of these birds as making their habitations in 

 the places suggested. A nest with full complement of eggs is 



shown in Plate III. figure 1. 



WILLOW THRUSH, Turdus fuscescens salicicola (Ridgw.) 



It appears that the willow thrash is not abundant in 

 the Flathead region during the nesting season. One nest 

 was taken, but diligent search in the vicinity of the site, and in 

 favorable localities failed to reveal another nest, or even another 

 specimen of this subspecies. 



The nest was found on the morning of June 29. It was sit- 

 uated among the stems of a clump of willow saplings, and its 

 exposed position indicated that there had been little or no in- 

 stinct of concealment in the selection of the site. The sitting 

 bird was startled from the nest, though not until the observer 

 was within six feet of her. As there were then only three 

 eggs in the nest, and the full complement was extremely de- 

 sirable, the nest was left undisturbed. The female mean- 

 while, had flitted to adjacent shrubberjr, and occasionally ap- 

 peared momentarily to take a look at the movements 

 of her disturber, quickly flitting back from sight. 



Visiting the place on the next morning, June 30, I found 

 the nest as I had left it on the preceding day, with only its 

 three eggs. Tbe female at this time was less disposed to show 

 herself beyond the covert, but at length I was able to secure her 

 for positive identification. 



The nest was built upon the ground, being exposed on all 

 sides for its full height, which was three and one-half inches 

 in situ. It was founded on coarse grass stems, which also 

 formed an external wall for most of its height. The main walls 

 are constructed of strips of fibrous bark, weed-stems, and por- 

 tions of delicate dried leaves. The fabric is lined with soft 

 bark and fine grasses, all of a dark brownish color. The rim 

 cavity is elliptical, its axes being two and three-fourths inches 

 and two and three-eighths inches. The cavity is two inches 

 deep. The three eggs were far advanced in incubation. One of 

 the eggs is greenish bine, unmarked; the others have faint 

 specks of pale brownish color, barely definable, upon the green- 

 ish blue ground. 



The nest of the willow thrush was taken in the bushy re- 



