DESCRIPTION OF TURDUS NJEVIUS 15 



nigro ; pedibussubflavis. 9 olivaceo-plunibeus^aliscaudaqueconco- 

 loribus, torque angusto dorso concolore; gastrcco dilutiore. 



, in summer : Entire upper parts dark slate-color, varying in shade from 

 a blackish to a plumbeous slate, in less perfect specimens with a slight olive 

 tinge; wings and tail blackish, with more or less of plumbeous or olive 

 shade, according to the age of the quills ; wing-coverts, greater and lesser, 

 tipped with orange-brown forming two cross-bars, and quills edged in two 

 or three places with the same ; quills also white at base on the inner webs, 

 this marking not visible from the outside ; one or several of the lateral tail- 

 feathers tipped with white. A broad black collar across the breast, mount- 

 ing on the side of the neck and head. Stripe behind the eye, lower eyelid, 

 and under parts orange-brown, gradually giving way to white on the lower 

 belly ; vent and crissurn mixed white, orange-brown, and plumbeous. Bill 

 black ; feet and claws dull yellowish. Length, 9-10 inches ; extent about 

 16 ; wing, 5 ; tail, 3 ; bill, $ ; tarsus, or middle toe and claw, 1. 



$ , in summer : Upper parts olivaceous-plumbeous (almost exactly the 

 shade of the common Robin in winter) ; wings and tail scarcely darker ; the 

 pectoral collar narrow, like the back in color ; other under parts like those 

 of the male, but duller, paler, and rather rusty than orange-brown, with 

 more white on the lower belly. Markings of head, tail, and wings exactly 

 as in the male. 



Young : Like the adult female. Upper parts in many cases with a decided 

 umber-brown wash. No speckled stage, like that of the very young Robin, 

 has been observed, though August specimens have been examined. In the 

 young male, the black pectoral b'ar is at first indicated by interrupted black- 

 ish crescents on individual feathers. Young females sometimes show scarcely 

 a trace of the collar. At all ages, the markings of the head and wings are 

 much the same. 



In winter : January and December examples from Southern California 

 examined differ in no wise from summer specimens of the corresponding 



This bird is about the size of the common Robin, and not very dissimilar 

 in general appearance, though the black necklace and orange wing-mark- 

 ings distinguish it at a glance. The color of the under parts sometimes 

 approaches that of the Robin, but is never of the pure chestnut shade it is 

 much as in the Black-headed Grosbeak, Goniaphea melanocephala. The tail 

 is notably shorter than in the Robin, and the bill lacks the notch at the 

 end; the bill is more compressed, with a straighter culmen, and the 

 bristles at its base are more highly developed. The species appears to be 

 subject to little variation, chiefly affecting the purity and intensity of the 

 colors. 



THOUGH the Varied Thrush has been nominally known to 

 naturalists for a century, it is only within the last few 

 years that we have gained any considerable knowledge of its 

 habits. The nest and eggs, in particular, have but recently come 

 to light. The bird was discovered at Nootka Sound, on Captain 

 Cook's third voyage ; the specimens passed into the possession 



