Bird- Life In Labrador. 11 



Spring and Fall, though not in Winter, and breeding there as 

 in the United States, and come to the conclusion that though 

 not a very common yet by no means an uncommon native, it 

 is doubtless here as everywhere else as a " resident " and 

 *' breeds.' 7 The specimens I shot were all in light plumage, 

 often approaching almost to albinism, and apparently lean and 

 long rather than plump and fat. Their nests were said to be 

 not uncommon " up the river," and, from the stories of the 

 small boys, which are not always to be relied upon, yet doubt- 

 less accurate in this case, built ol mud and dried grasses. 



GRAY CHEEKED THRUSH 



Turdiis Swawsoni Alicice. (BD.) COUES. 



IN my description of the robin I used the expression "up 

 the river;" well, "up the river" we went one delightful 

 day, in the Summer of 1882, boat, oars, guide, and our guns, 

 the slight breeze proving our only sure protection against the 

 everlasting black flies, to explore the country. My notes, un- 

 der the heading of " wood thrush," read : " Certainly heard 

 this bird repeatedly ; other persons present verified the same ; 

 10 miles up Esquimaux River, one day late in July." Of this 

 note a good-natured editor remarked with a sort of humph, 

 at least it so echoes in my ear : " More like H. alicice (gray- 

 cheeked thrush), since the wood thrush is not known to occur 

 even so far north as the southern shores of the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence," He was right. The characteristic whistled 

 " pheugh " sounded right and left that day. I can hear it now 

 and seem to see the form of one of our number, as he then 

 bent forward to catch the sound as it came to us through the 

 dense spruce growth on the shore, when he said : " By Jove j 

 that was a thrush ; did you hear it?" Of course we all did, 

 twenty times, and to-day we know that it is " everywhere abun- 

 dant in the interior," at least as far as we have explored, 

 and " breeds." This species is distinct from swainsoni, which 

 it greatly resembles. 



