304 Ornithology of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. 
credulous of these singular facts, they may easily satisfy them- 
selves of their entire accuracy another season, as both of 
these islands are but about thirty miles from Eastport, and 
quite accessible. I ought, perhaps, to add, that although this 
remarkable change of habit is noticeable in a large proportion 
of the Gulls breeding in these islands, it is by no means uni- 
versal. Some still adhere to their natural promptings and 
lay their eggs on the ground. This is still the case without 
exception with the Larus leucopterus, a few of which are 
found in this vicinity and breed on the same islands. 
HERMIT THRUSH (Turdus brunneus Gmel.) 
About six years since, my attention was called, by Mr. 
Spencer F. Baird, of Carlisle, Pa., to the fact, that two sepa- 
rate and distinct species of birds are confounded together 
under the name of Hermit Thrush. I subsequently prepared 
a paper which I read to the Society pointing out the specific 
differences, and which was intended for publication. So 
close is the approximation of these species, however, that 
there appeared to be some doubts in the minds of some mem- 
bers, as to the certainty of the differences being specific, and 
the paper was withdrawn until the eggs of the two species 
could be obtained, and their distinctness be thus confirmed. 
In the meanwhile, however, the subject was taken up by Mr. 
Giraud, of New York, in his “Birds of Long Island,” who : 
gave to the undescribed species the name that had been pro- 
posed, — Turdus olivaceus. As this has already been twice 
preoccupied, it cannot stand, and by the rule of priority; the 
name of Turdus Swainsoni, given it by a German ornitholo- 
gist, will claim a preference. My attention was first called 
to the subject by finding, in Roxbury, several years since, the 
nest and egg of this bird. It differed entirely from the 
description of it by Wilson. This was the more noticeable 
from the fact that he spoke with so much particularity of the 
place, date, &c. of his finding it. His nest was in a tree, 
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