AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



333 



WOOD THRUSH, 



A. O. U. No. 755. (Turdns mustelliuis.) 



RANGE. 



United States east of the Plains. North to the southern boundary of 

 Canada and south in winter to Guatemala and Cuba. Breeds from the 

 middle states northwards. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length. 8 in.; extent, 13 in.; tail, 3 in. Bill brownish with a yellowish 

 base. Eye brown. Feet yellowish or flesh colored. Upper parts a 

 tawny brown, shading gradually from a bright reddish brown on the 

 head and neck to an olive brown on the tail. The under parts are pure 

 white, abundantly spotted on the breast and sides with dark brown. 

 NEST AND EGGS. 



The nest is situated not far from the ground in bushes or low trees. 

 It is made of leaves, grasses, fibres, etc., held together with mud. The 

 nest is usually more artistic viewed from without than is the Robin's, 

 as the cement is concealed by the other materials with which it ^is com- 

 posed. They lay from three to five plain greenish blue eggs. These 

 are very similar to the Robin's except that they are a little smaller. 



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HABITS. 



In all respects the Wood Thrush is the king of thrushes. He is the 

 largest of the family and is the most beautiful. He is the only one 

 having the spots on the breast and sides bold and distinct so that there 

 is never any cause to doubt his identity. He is the only one other 

 than the Hermit Thrushes that has both tawny and olive on his upper 

 parts. As the Hermit Thrush has a tawny tail and the remainder of 

 the upper parts olive, and the Wood Thrush has a tawny head while his 

 back and tail are olive, this only further tends to distinguish the two. 

 Among all the sweet voiced members of the Thrush family, the song of 

 the Wood Thrush is the sweetest. From early May until late in July 

 they daily add their voices to the general chorus and the woods are 

 filled with wonderous melody. 



They love the solitudes of the deeper woods and it is there that their 

 voices are raised in fervent song. Just before dusk when the other 

 birds have retired for the night, the oppressive stillness of the woods is 



