338 OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION. 



180. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii (CAB.). 

 Olive-backed Thrush. 



A tolerably common transient visitor from October 3 to 12, but not observed in? 

 the spring. It has been noted principally in timbered ravines, and on the wooded- 

 banks bordering the bottom-lands. 



181. Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii (CAB.). 

 Hermit Thrush. 



The most common species of the four transient Thrushes. It has been observed' 

 "tn Spring from April 9 to May n, and in fall from October 15 to October 20. It fre- 

 quents chiefly the forests areas of the bottoms, and the woods along the upland^ 

 streams, though is occasionally seen on the outskirts of the towns. It is apparently 

 .not in-song during its migration through this region. 



GENUS MERULA LEACH. 



182. Merula migratoria (LINN.). 

 American Robiii. 



An abundant summer resident. A few sometimes remain over winter. Its ar- 

 rivals in spring have been from February 5 to 27, according to the severity of the 

 season, but it is usually present before the middle of this month. It generally disap- 

 pears by the first of November, and occasionally even earlier. 



Nest-building is begun commonly about the first of April, and young with short 

 tails, but able to fly, may be seen by the fifteenth of the following month. The 

 breeding season appears to be at its height during May and the latter part of April,, 

 and to be practically ended by the first of July, since no occupied nests have been 

 found later than June 26. 



This species constructs its nest in all sorts of situations : not infrequently on a fence- 

 post close to the railroad track, or even on the cross-bar of a telegraph pole. A nest 

 discovered April 20, 1890, was on the top of one of the posts supporting an old 

 shed; another, found on April 13 of the same year, was placed on the projecting end- 

 of one of the horizontal beams of a carriage bridge over a small stream. A nest 

 was observed May 4, 1890, on one of the iron girders of a railroad bridge near 

 Wooster. It was scarcely three feet below the rails, and directly beneath one of 

 them. When found it contained three eggs, which in due time were hatched, and the 

 young probably (though this was not positively determined) reared in safety. A nest 

 noted May 18, 1890, was situated on the bank of a creek, in a small bush which over- 

 hung the water. It was built upon another Robin's nest, evidently an old one, for the 

 new material of the superstructure was in marked contrast to the weatherbeaten ap- 

 pearance of the foundation. 



Of sixty-two nests examined, thirty-seven were less than ten feet from the ground ; 

 twelve were between ten and fifteen feet; eight between fifteen and twenty; three be- 

 tween twenty and twenty-five ; and one each at altitudes of twenty-five and thirty 

 feet. 



Robins in a condition of partial albinism seem not to be very uncommon. One 

 in the writer's collection was taken March 9, 1892, and another was secured on 

 March 27 of the same year ; but these have, however, only a small proportion of 

 white feathers. 



