Tl'RDID.K — TIFE THRrSHES. I7 



in Miiy and roniaininj^ until tlio licj^inninu' of Soptombcr. Tliree sjiocimons 

 ol' tliis tin'iish wero obtained at Sitka, by Mr. IJischoll'. Mr. Kidj^fway una 

 with only a .single specinieu east of tlie Siena Nevada, thuii^ii on that mnge 

 he f(mnd it an abundant sunmu'r bird. 



In it.s general ajipearanee it hns a marked resemblance to Wilson's Thrush 

 (T. fiim'ficnis), l)ut its habits and notes, as well us its nest and eggs, clearly 

 ]ioinl its nearer alliuity to Swainson's Thrush ('/'. tiinn'ii.soiii), its song being 

 scarcely dillcrent from tiiat of the latter species. Like this species, it fre- 

 (pients the thickets or brushwood along the mountain streams, and, except 

 just after its arrival, it is not at all shy. In crossing the Sierra Nevada in 

 July, 1H(37, Mr. IJidgway first met with this species, lie describes it as an 

 exipiisite songster. At one of the camps, at an altitude of about n,(IO() feet, 

 they were found unusually ])lentiful. lie speaks of their .song as consisting 

 of "ethereal warblings, — outbursts of wild melody." " Altliough its carols 

 were lieard everywhere in the depth of the ravine, scarcely one of the little 

 nnisicians could be seen." 'Tiie song of this thnush," he adds, "though 

 ]K).sse.ssing all the wild, solenni melody of that of the Wood Thrush (?'. 

 nuiatciuiii-'i) is wi-aker, but of a much liner or more silvery tone, and more 

 methodical delivi-ry. It is much like tiiat of the 7'. siritiuMtii, but in the 

 (pialities nuMitione<l is even superior." 



Dr Cooper found its u(!sts with eggs ab(uit the middle of June. These 

 were most usuully built on u small Inu'izontal branch, and were very strongly 

 constructed of twigs, grasses, roots, and leaves, usually covercil on the outside 

 entirely with the bright green I/i//iiiinii mosses i)eculia,r to tiiat region, which 

 in the damp climate near the coast continue to grow in that ptjsition, and 

 form large masses. Tiie numlier of eggs is usually five. 



Dr. CoojH'r .states that tlie.si' tiirushcs sin- most in the early morning and 

 in the evening, when numbers may be heard answering one another on all 

 sides. They do not affect the darkt'st tiiickets so nnich as the Hermit 

 Thrush, but are often seen feeding in the gardens in the open snnsliine. 



Dr. Sucklcy, who found them (juite abundant in tlu> neighborhood of Fort 

 Sleilacoom, on the edge of the forest, and in swamjiy land, de.scril)es the song 

 as a low, soft, sad, and lively whistle, confined to one note, and repeated at 

 regular intervals. Mr. Nuttall, the first to de.scrilie this form, speaks of 

 it as shy and retiring, and as in the haiiit of gatiiering insects from the 

 ground. His ear, .so (|uick to apjjreciate the ciiaracteristics of the .songs of 

 birds, which showed a close i'esend)lauce between the notes of this bird and 

 that of Wilson's Thrush (T. fitsrcsirm), enabled him to detect very distinct 

 and easily recognizable differences. It is nuwh more interrujited and is not 

 so jirolonged. The warble of this bird he describes as resend)ling iril-icil 

 t'vi/liii, and irit-irit, t'rl//l<i-f'ri/li(i. His (;all when surprised was irif-wit. 



All the nests of this s])ecies that have fallen under my observation are 

 large, comjiact, str(uigly const ruct(id, and neat. 'I'hey measure al)out o 

 inches in their external tliameter, witii a deptii externally of 3; the cavity 



