30 NORTH AMKRICAN BIRDS. 



liocky ^fountains, near tlie ("olmiibia liivcu', in Octobor. In the winter it 

 became still more numerous, passing the season in that region as well as in 

 more southern localities, associating with the roljin. From this bird it may 

 be readily distinguished by the diU'erence of its notes, which are louder, 

 sharper, and delivered with greater rapidity. In the spring, before leaving 

 for their breeding-i)lace3, they are described as having a very sweet warble. 



On the Columbia Itiver they were not resident, arriving there in October, 

 continuing throughout the winter, and leaving crly in ^la}^ During their 

 stay they moved through the forest in small flocks, freipienting low trees, 

 and I'or the most part keeping perfect silence. They were timorous and didi- 

 eult of approach. 



Its habits are said to resemble those of the robin, but in some of them 

 the descriptions given appear to correspond more with those of the Fieldfares 

 and liedwings of Europe. Like those species it is a summer resident of 

 high northern latitudes, aifects secluded forests and thickets bordering u])on 

 streams, and is found only iu unfreijuented localities. 



Dr. ('(toper was of the oitinion that a few of these thrushes remained in 

 "Washington Territory throughout the summer, as he freipiently met with 

 them in the dark s])ruce forests of that region as late as June and July. 

 He describes the song as consisting of iive or si.\ notes in a minor key, and 

 in a scale regularly desceiuling. It was heard continually throughout the 

 summer, among the t<)])s of tlie trees, but only iu the densest forests. Dr. 

 Suckley states that after a fall of snow they would be found ahtng the sandy 

 beaches near the salt water, where they were both abundant and tame. We 

 are indebted to Mr. W. H. Dall for our lirst authentic knowledge of its 

 nest and eggs. The former measures (i inches in diameter with a depth of 

 2^, inches. It hiis but a very .slight de])ression, apparently not more than 

 hall' an inch in depth. The original shape of the nest had, however, been 

 somewhat flatter^ed in tra^tsportation. 'The materials'of vydch it was coni-< 

 ];osed were fine dry mo.sses and lichens impacted together, intermingled with 

 I'mgments of dry stems of grasses. 



A nest of this thrush obtained by Dr. Minor, in Alaska, is a much more 

 finished structure. Its base and ])erii)Iiery are composed of an elaborate 

 basket-work of slender twigs. Within these is an inner nest consisting of 

 an interweaving of fine dry grasses and long gray lichens. 



The eggs in size, shape, ground cidor, and markings are not distinguishable 

 fiom those of the Tnrdus musicus of Euro]»e. They measure 1.D5 inches in 

 length by .f^() in breiulth, are of a light blue with a greenish shading, almost 

 exactly similar to the ground color of the T. inii/rdtoriiis. They are very 

 distinctly marked and spotted with a dark umber-brown approaching almost 

 to blackness. 



Mr. Dall informs us that the nest found by him was built in a willow 

 bush, about two feet fntm llie gnuind, and on the top of a large mass of 

 rubbish lodged there by some previous inundation. Other nests of the 



