60 TURDID^C I THRUSHES. 



While on the subject of the specific characters of the 

 New England Thrushes, I may note how easily the 

 four leading species may be distinguished by the color 

 of the upper parts alone. The Wood Thrush is tawny, 

 turning to olive on the rump. The Hermit is olive, 

 turning to tawny on the rump. The Olive-back is 

 entirely olive. The Veery is entirely tawny. 



TAWNY THRUSH; VEERY. 



TURDUS FUSCESCENS Step/I. 



Chars. Above, entirely reddish-brown, of the same shade through- 

 out. Below, white, the sides shaded with pale gray, the throat 

 and fore breast (only) strongly tinged with buff, in which buff 

 area are a few small brown arrow-heads, the chin and throat, 

 however, mostly immaculate. There are a few obsolete grayish 

 spots in the white of the lower breast, but the markings are 

 otherwise confined to the restricted buff area. No decided light 

 ring around the eye. Bill dark above, mostly pale below ; feet 

 pale. Length of male, 7.00-7.50 ; extent, about 12.00 ; wing, 

 4.00-4.25; tail, 3.00 ; bill, 0.60; tarsus, 1.20. Female smaller. 

 Average dimensions, taken from both sexes, are : length, 7.35 ; 

 extent, 11.75 ; wm g 3-9 '> ta ^> 2 -^5 ; tarsus. 1.12. 



The Veery is the commonest of the Thrushes, ex- 

 cepting always the Robin, in southern New England 

 during the breeding season. Like the Wood Thrush, 

 it is characteristic of the Alleghanian Fauna at such 

 times, though it also extends sparingly into the Cana- 

 dian, where the Hermit and the Olive-back are so 

 abundant and characteristic. It enters Connecticut 

 about the last of April, and reaches Massachusetts 

 early in May ; the greater number are then already on 

 their breeding grounds, but few passing farther on, 



