I A Brewster o?i BicknelVs Thrush in Nezv England. [Janmuy 



densis., VacCinhim vitis-idcea^ Salix cutleri, Arenaria grce?i- 

 landica., Solidago vii-ga-aurea alpina (with flowers on the 

 point of opening), and Smilacina bifolia. 



Around the outskirts of this Alpine w^ood the trees were 

 shrubby and often so densely matted that it was impossible to 

 penetrate them, but in the interior one could walk with compar- 

 atively little difficulty. As I picked my way between the stems, 

 carefully avoiding the many dangerous holes and crevices con- 

 cealed beneath the mossy floor, I was forcibly reminded of similar 

 forests on the bleak shores of Labrador. The few sunbeams that 

 penetrated among the branches had a pale, wintry cast, and at 

 intervals the rising wind sighed drearily in the trees. Alto- 

 gether there was about the place an air of rugged---almost savage 

 wildness, in fit keeping with the grandeur of the surrounding 

 scenery. 



In this shaggy forest Thrushes were singing and calling on 

 every side, and in the course of an hour or two I managed to 

 secure three specimens, one of which was a typical Olive-back, 

 while the other two, to my great delight, proved to be the birds 

 of which we were in search; viz.^ representatives of the small 

 southern race of T. alicice lately named b}' Mr. Ridgway in 

 honor of its discoverer, Mr. Bicknell, and until now known onh^ 

 from Riverdale on the Hudson and the Catskill Mountains of 

 New York. 



Although the specimens just mentioned were the onh* ones 

 actually taken, we saw and heard many others, both at the point 

 already described, and further down the mountain, in the vicinity 

 of the Half-way House. Nor were opportunities wanting for 

 comparing the voice and habits of the new bird with those of its 

 near relative T. swainsoni^ both being frequently found together 

 in the same thicket, although the Bicknell's Thrushes were the 

 more numerous throughout the region of stunted spruces, while 

 the Olive-backs pi'edominated in the heavy timber below. 



The song of Bicknell's Thrush is exceedinglj^ like that of 

 Swainson's ; indeed, to my ear, the usual strain, though i-ather 

 feebler, was nearly indistinguishable; but occasionally — per- 

 haps on the average once in the course of five or six repeti- 

 tions — a peculiar, and apparentl}^ perfectly characteristic bar 

 was interpolated. This was a flute-like per-pseueo-fseneo given 

 quickly and in a tone which, at a little distance, closely resem- 



