OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH. ' 19 



autumnal specimens of hermits and veerys that were very much 

 alike in general plumage. 



The young birds of the first plumage are striped with pale russet, 

 and their breasts are heavily marked with olivaceous spots, the same 

 tint occurring in broken bars on their bellies and sides. 



The length of the hermit is about seven inches. 



OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH. 



A superficial observer might consider that the biography of any 

 of this group of thrushes — the hylocichlce — could be made to serve 

 for all, and in a general way this opinion would be correct ; but a 

 more careful study discloses in each species characteristics of habits, 

 and plumage, which are peculiar. The present bird is as fond of 

 shade as is the veery, but prefers a drier location, and has a stronger 

 preference than either of its congeners for the deeper forests ; it 

 appears less often near the settlements during the breeding season. 

 Again, the olive-backed shows a greater tendency to remain on the 

 branches of the trees and shrubbery. In the nesting season these 

 birds are seldom observed on the ground, but Mr. Mcllwraith says 

 that while migrating through Southern Ontario they are more fre- 

 quently seen on the ground than on the trees. It is probable that at 

 that season. May 10th to 25th, the supply of insects on the trees is less 

 abundant, so they are forced to hunt on the ground. Also the olive- 

 backed is rather more shy than the others, and more disturbed by 

 intrusion. I have known a pair to abandon a nest in which two 

 eggs had been laid, because the nesting site had been discovered. 

 The nest is placed on the low branch of a tree, and is more com- 

 pactly built than the hermit's or veery's, which are placed on the 

 ground. The three or four eggs usually forming a set are greenish 

 blue, spotted with brown, similar to those of the gray-cheeked. 



The voices of all the group have much the same sweet tone and 

 liquid quality, and the melodies the birds sing are somewhat simi- 

 lar ; but when tho hermit, vcery and clive-backed are heard singing 

 side by side, as 1 have heard them in New Brunswick, the 

 differences in the quality of their voices and the themes of their 



