TL'KDID.K — TUE THRUSHES. 13 



soni, on tlio other hand, exliibits much less variation iu the scale, all the 

 notes being of nearly the same altitude. * 



I am also informed that while the T. .vrdinsoiii is far from being a timid 

 speeies, liut may be easily approaelied, and while it seems almost invarial>ly 

 to prel'er the edges of the jiine woods, and is rarely observed in open groiuida 

 or among the bare deciduous trees, the habits of the T. uliciw are the exact 

 reverse in these respects. It is not to be ibuni'c in similar situations, but 

 almost always frequents copses of hard wood, searcliing for its food among 

 their fallen leaves. It is extremely timid and ditticult to approach. As 

 it stands or as it moves upon the ground, it has a peculiar erecitness of 

 liearing which at once indicates its true specific character so unmistakably 

 tiiat any one once familiar with its appearance can never mistake it for 

 7'. )iirain.si)ni, nor for any other bird. 



The nests measure about 4 inclies in diameter and 2^ in lieiglit. Tlie 

 cavity is 2 inches deep, and its diameter 2| inches. They are iiinisually 

 compact for the nest of a thrusli, and are composed chiefly of an elaborate 

 interweaving of fine sedges, leaves, stems of tiie more delicate Eqiiifnturca', 

 dry grasses, strips of fine bark, and decayed leaves, the whole intermingled 

 witli the paniculated inHorescence of gra.sses'. Tiiere is little or no lining 

 other than tliese materials. Tiiese nests were all found, with but few 

 exc(!ptions, on tiie branches of low trees, from two to .seven feet from 

 tlie ground. In a few exceptional cases the nests were built on the 

 groiuid. 



Occasionally ne.sts of this species are found constructed with tlio liase 

 and sides of solid muil, as with the connnon Iiol)in {Tiinhis vn'(/rnt(iriHs). 

 In tiiese, as also in some otiier cases, their nests are usually founil on or 

 near tlie ground. So far as I am aware neitlier its occasional ]tositioii 

 on the ground, nor its mud frames, are peculiarities ever noticealde in 

 ne.sts of T. sirtdnsoni. 



Tlie o'i[',<- 'Vine usually four in number. Their color is eitlicr a deep 

 green tint, or green slightly tinged with blue ; and they are marked with 

 spots of ru.sset and yellowish-brown, varying both in size and fre(iuency. 

 Thoir mean length is .92 of an inch, and their mean breadth .04. The 

 maximum length is .!)4 and the minimum M of an inch. There is 

 apparently a "on .^ant variation from the eggs of the T. siruiii.suiii ; those 

 of the uliria: i, ving a more distinctly blue groinuli color. The nests are 

 also quite diHeiefit in their a])|)earance and style of structure. The Hm»iitiii 

 mosses, so marked a feature in the nests of T. swuinsoiii, as also in those of 

 T. i(t<(it/(tt)i.'<, are wholly wanting in those of 7'. n/in'n: 



This bird and the robin are the only species of our thrushes that cross 

 the Arctic Circle to any distance, or reach the shore of the Arctic Ocean. 

 It occui's from Labrador, all round the American coast, to the Aleutian 

 Islands, everywhere bearing its siH'cilic character as indicated above. It is 

 extremely ubuuduut on and near the Arctic coast, between the mouth of 



