10 TURD US FUSCESCENS. 



a level with the surface, and was smoothly covered with green moss, similar to that growing 

 around it. So neatly was this done, that, although I noticed the log as it lay in my path, I 

 never should have observed the nest if the bird had not flown from it as I came up. 



The eggs are generally laid the first week in June, but in the instance spoken of above, 

 although it was found as early as June 5th, the nest contained newly hatched young. Mr. Allen 

 and myself found the young fully fledged, and flying about, at Hyannis, on July 3d, 1869. A 

 nest was taken at North Beverly, June 14th, by Mr. E. P. Emerton, and another was taken at 

 Concord, the first week of the same month, by Mr. Brewster. These instances go to prove that 

 it does not breed any earlier in Massachusetts than in Northern Maine. 



The male is very attentive to the female, not only before the time of nesting, when he follows 

 her everywhere, but during the time of incubation he sits on a branch above her, and sings his 

 incomparable song. During the northern migrations they associate, and even while moving 

 south they may be seen in pairs. 



They enter Massachusetts on their southern flight about the first of October, and although 

 some remain in Maine and New Hampshire as late as the first week in November, the mass have 

 left the north by the 20th of the former-named mouth. They linger in Massachusetts in great 

 numbers through October, frequenting the \\oods and thickets everywhere. They arc not at all 

 shy, even being so familiar as to enter the villages, and flit through the gardens. Most of them 

 disappear by the first of November, but a few remain somewhat later. Thus the Hermit comes 

 to us in the fading glories of autumn, becomes associated with the falling leaves and ripening 

 nuts, then leaves us with the first icy blasts of winter. 



TURDTTS FUSCESCENS. 



Wilson's Thrush. Tawny Thrush. 



Turdus fusc.escens STEPHENS. Shaw's Zoology. Birds, x, i, 1817, 182. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cn. Form, slender. Bill, not long and rather broad at base. Tongue, acuminate, bifid, and rather coarsely 

 fringed for one-third of the terminal length. It is bright yellow in color. Sternum, of about the same proportions 

 as that of Swainsonii; indeed, the sternums of Swainsonii, Pallusii, and fusccitcens, which I have in my collection, 

 nre so nearly alike, in general proportions and size, that it is impossible to determine from what species any particular 

 one came, without referring to the label. On an average, however, those from fusr.escens are stoutest and broadest, 

 those from Pallasii are the slenderest, while those from Swainsonii are intermediate ; but those from T. miyralorius 

 are not only larger, but have deeper marginal indentations in proportion to the width. 



COLOR. Adult. Above, light reddish-brown, becoming slightly yellowish on the rump. Beneath, pure white, 

 with a pale bud' tinge across the throat and fore part of the breast ; the throat and breast are also covered with pale, 

 triangular spots, which on the fore part of the breast are brown, but more olivaceous on the lower part, where they 

 become nearly obsolete. On the sides of the throat they exhibit a tendency to cluster and form maxillary lines. 

 Flanks and tibia;, pale olivaceous. A broad band beneath the wing, which is not well defined, is of a pale buff. Under 

 wing coverts, white, with an olivaceous tinge. Axillaries, white, tinged with pale buff. King around the eye, and 

 stripes on the feathers of ear coverts, pale buff. Lores, ashy. Iris, brown. Bill, dark brown ; the basal half of 

 lower mandible, pale yellow. Inside of mouth, bright yellow. 



Young. Similar to the adult, with the wing coverts edged with rufous, and tipped with lighter, forming two 

 indistinct bars. The buff on the throat, and upper part of breast is a trifle darker. I have at present no specimen of 

 this species in the nesting plumage. Sexes, similar in all stages of plumage. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



This bird is easily distinguished from all the other smaller Thrushes by the paler tints of the spots on the throat 

 and breast, which are also more restricted. The colors of the back are very uniform throughout, with the exception 

 of a slight ochrey tinge upon the upper tail coverts and lower part of the rump. This tint also occasionally appears 

 on the crown. This species is perhaps less variable in color than any other of the Thrushes. It is found during the 

 breeding season from latitude 42, northward, perhaps to the fur countries. Although a few are found in Florida and 

 the West Indies, the greater part winter in Central and South America. 



