BROWN THEASHER. 



705. Toxostoma rufum. 11*4 inches. 



Above bright reddish brown; below white with 

 black spots. 



Taken as a whole, I think that the song of this 

 Thrasher is the most musical and pleasing of any that 

 I have ever beard. It has a similarity to that of the 

 Catbird, but is rounder, fuller, and has none of the 

 grating qualities of the song of that species. They 

 apparently have a song of their own and do not deign 

 to copy that of others. They are one of the most use- 

 ful and desirable birds that we have. 



Song. -A bright and cheerful carol, often long con- 

 tinued, but always clear and sweet; call, a clear 

 whistled wheuu. 



Nest. Of twigs and rootlets, in hedges, thickets or 

 thorn bushes; the four or five eggs are bluish white 

 with numerous fine dots of reddish brown over the en- 

 tire surface (1.08 x. 80). 



Range. Eastern N. A., breeding from the Gulf to 

 southern Canada; winters in the southern half of the 

 U. S. 



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