338 APPENDIX. 



from the bushes, where they appeared to institute a rapid search 

 for insects, and quickly retui'ned to the perch, emitting their 

 weak, querulous note the whole time without intermission. The 

 stomachs of these birds contained fragments of minute coleop- 

 terous insects, and in the ovary of the female was an egg nearly 

 ready for expulsion. 



The nest, which Mr. N. found a few days afterwards, is a very 

 curious and beautiful fabric, somewhat like that of the bottle tit 

 of Europe, being from eight to nine inches in length, formed of 

 fine bent, lined with hair, and covered externally with mosses, 

 the hole for entrance near the top. It was suspended from a 

 low bush, and contained seven eggs, very small and beautifully 

 shaped, and pure white. 



Mountain Mocking-bird. 

 Orpheus *montanus, (Townsend,) Journal Acad. Nat. Sci- 

 ences, Vol. 7, part II., p. 192. Audubon's Birds of America, 

 Vol. IV., pi. 369. Male. 



Mandibles black, the lower flesh-color at base ; whole upper 

 parts dull grayish-cinereous, slightly barred transversely with 

 white ; flexure of the wing and axillaries whitish ; third pri- 

 mary longest, first and fifth nearly equal ; tail long, rounded, 

 of a dark cinereous color, the three lateral feathers with a lai*ge 

 white spot on the tip of the inner vanes ; lower parts white, with 

 longitudinal, oblanceolate spots of black, largest and most nu- 

 merous on the breast ; a line formed of small black spots extends 

 from the base of the lower mandible on either side, down upon 

 the breast; flanks, vent, and inferior tail-coverts whitish, strongly 

 tinged with bay. Legs and feet yellowish flesh-color. Irides 

 bright yellow. Length 8 inches. 



Female unknown. 



Inhabits the banks of the Platte river, west of the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



Townsend's Thrush. 



*Ptiliogonys *Townsendi, (Audubon.) Birds of America, 

 Vol. IV., pi. 419. Female. 



Bill black ; whole upper parts of a dark, smoke-gray color, 

 inclining to yellowish ; tail somewhat emarginate, long, the fea- 

 thers black, except the two middle ones, which are of the same 

 color as the back, the outer one almost wholly white, and the 



