BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 325 



watery places. The sweet, ring-ing, bell-like notes of this bird are such 

 that it justly ranks as one of our most entertaining- songsters. It builds 

 a compact and rather large nest of mud, leaves and dried grasses in 

 trees and bushes, usually in low or damp woods. The eggs, com- 

 monly four, are light greenish blue, and measure about one inch long 

 by three-fourths wide. The Wood Thrush feeds on numerous forms of 

 insect life, it devours large numbers of beetles, earthworms, crickets, 

 flies, larvae, etc., and also, like the Common Robin, subsists on various 

 small fruits and berries. 



Turdus fuscescens STEPH. 



Wilson's Thrush ; Veery ; Tawny Thrush. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 100). 



Length about 1\ inches; extent about 12| ; bill brownish ; basal half of mandible 

 paler ; tarsi pale yellowish-brown, feet darker (dried skins). Above uniform red- 

 dish brown ; no contrast between tail and back, no light ring about eye ; sides of 

 head grayish ; chin, upper part of throat whitish and generally without spots ; mid- 

 dle of abdominal region and under tail-coverts white ; sides shaded with grayish or 

 pale olive ; lower part of throat and breast buff-colored, and marked with small 

 brownish spots ; tail and wing feathers brownish. 



Habitat. Eastern United States to the plains, north to Manitoba, Ontario, Anti- 

 costi, and Newfoundland. 



Rather common spring and fall migrant throughout the state ; occa- 

 sionally, during mild winters, solitary individuals are met with in the 

 southern portions of Pennsylvania. Wilson's Thrush breeds sparingly 

 in the northern and mountainous parts of the commonwealth. It has 

 been found breeding within our limits by Dr. Detwiller, of Northamp- 

 ton county ; Mr. George P. Friant has also observed it, in summer, in 

 Lackawanna county, and it also breeds, occasionally, Mr. Sennett tells 

 me, in Crawford and Erie counties, where it is common during migra- 

 tions. "Nest, on ground or near it, of leaves, grasses, etc., but no mud; 

 eggs, four to five, greenish-blue like those of the Wood Robin, normally 

 unspotted, .90 by .60" (Coues). This bird, usually seen singly, but 

 sometimes in small parties, frequents chiefly thick woods and swampy 

 places. Feeds on insects, worms and berries. 



Turdus alicise BAIBD. 



Gray-cheeked Thrush. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate 96}. 



A little larger than the Olive-backed Thrush, from which it differs in having no 

 yellowish ring round eye, and sides of head are grayish not yellowish. Jugulum 

 more or less shaded with buff. 



Habitat. Eastern North America, west to the plains, Alaska and eastern Siberia, 

 north to the Arctic coast, south, in winter, to Costa Rica ; breeds chiefly north of the 

 United States; 



