Birds of Oregon and Washington 129 



THE RUSSET-BACKED THRUSH. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION : 



Upper parts : from russet to olive-brown. 

 Under parts : light gray. 

 Length, 7 inches. 



Found in young deciduous growth, and amongst the 

 trees and shrubs of large places in towns and cities. 



The Thrushes (those known specifically by 

 that name) are not so many in variety in Ore- 

 gon and Washington as in the East. The Rus- 

 set-backed Thrush, however, like some other 

 varieties of birds already mentioned, belongs ex- 

 clusively to this side of the American continent. 

 It is a beautiful singer, as befits the family, and 

 is very abundant. 



It is the Pacific coast variety of the Olive- 

 backed Thrush of the East, which it closely re- 

 sembles in size and appearance, the breast in 

 the two being almost identical. Its call-note 

 and song are also very similar to those of the 

 eastern bird, but it is like the Wood Thrush in 

 its familiar way of approaching human dwellings 

 and nesting upon grounds even within our cities. 

 It arrives late, about the last of May. But once 

 here, its call-note, a short whistle, a sound pearl- 

 like for liquid roundness, may be heard from the 



