54 BlUDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Sp. Cu. Above uniform, rather light fulvous brown, varying in precise shade; no 

 trace of a lighter orbital-ring, the bides of the head being nearly uniform grayish, as in 

 T. aliciiK. Jugulura and posterior portion of throat creamy bull, with cuneate spots of 

 brown, usually a little darker than the color of the crown, these markings narrower and 

 more distinct anteriorly; chin and upper part of throat, nearly white, immaculate, b'.it 

 bordered along each side by a longitudinal series of brown streaks, sometimes blended 

 into a single stripe, below an ill-deflned whitish or buffy malar stripe; lores pa!o grayish 

 Of grayish white; aurieulavs darker and more brownish. Sides of breast, sides, and 

 fl:iuks, light brownish gray, the sides of the breast sometimes faintly spotted with a 

 deeper shade, but Iiequontly uniform; tibiaj grayish white in front, brown on posterior 

 side; rest of lower parts pure white, liiil dusky, the basal half of the mandible paler; 

 iris dark brown; tarsi pale brown (in skin), toes darker. Wing 3.75-4.15 (3.95); tail 2.70-3.30 

 (3.112); tarsus 1.05-1.25 (1.15); middle toe .65-.72 (.61); culraen (exposed portion) .52-.C0 (.5(;).' 



In summer, the colors paler; in fall and winter, the brown above brighter, the buff of 

 jiigulum deeper, and spots darker. 



"First iiliimage: female. Above bright reddish-buff, deepest on back and rump; 

 feathers of pileum, nape, back, and wing-coverts margined with dark brown, confining 

 the lighter color to somewhat indefinitely defined central drop-shaped spols. Lores and 

 line from lower mandible along sides of throat, dark sooty-brown; throat, sides and 

 abdomen pale brownish-yellow with iudistiaet transverse bands of brown; breast deep 

 buff, each feather edged broadly with dull sooty-brown; anal region dirty white. In my 

 collection, taken in Cambridge, Mass., July 23, 1874." (Bkewster. Bull. Nutt. Oru. Club, 

 January. 187S. p. 18.) 



Specimens vtiry a great deal in the precise shade of brown on 

 the upper parts, which, however, is always decidedly mors fulvous 

 or taA\Tiy than in any other species, while there is also much varia- 

 tion in the dep'h of the buff color and the distinctness of the spols 

 or streaks on the jugulum and sides of throat; the latter are occa- 

 sionally, but rarely (as in No. 63058 3, Massachusetts, and 2145 3, 

 Pennsylvania), very small and no darker in color than the upper 

 parts. 



Wilson's Thrush is a common enough bird of the northern United 

 States, but south of the parallel of 40° it is known only as a 

 migrant, or winter resident, and on the AUeghanies, where, at the 

 proper altitude it spends the summer. According to Dr. Brewer 

 (Hist. N. Am. B., I, p. 10; "it is timid, distrustful, and retiring; 

 delighting in shady ravines, the edges of thick, close woods, and 

 occasionally the more retired parts of gardens." 



The song of this Thrush is so very delicate and wiry that the 

 hearer must be near by to catch all the subtle quavers and trill.s 

 which are its characteristics. Dr. Brewer says it "is quaint, but 

 not unmusical ; variable in its character, changing from a prolonged 

 and monotonous v/histle to quick and almost shrill notes at the 

 close. Their melody is not unfrequently prolonged until quite late 

 in the evening, and, in consequence, in some portions of Massa- 



♦Extreme and average measurements of 16 adults. 



