WOOD THEUSH. 205 



and twigs, within which is a lining of mud, which is more or less com- 

 pletely lined with a thin layer of fine fibres. The nest is about five inches 

 in outside diameter, and of the same height. The inside diameter is 

 usually about two and one-fourth inches, the depth a little greater. The 

 eggs vary from four to six in number, are of a uniform light bluish 

 green, and their average measurement is 1.18 inches by .81. 



Little needs be said of this welcome and well-known bird. The earliest 

 to arrive in spring are solitary birds, but they are soon followed by scat- 

 tering flocks which make their way along the warm banks of streams. 

 In the fall they congregate in places where their favorite food is abund- 

 ant in large companies. They feed upon insects and worms, small fruits 

 and berries. Although sometimes destructive to cultivated fruits, they 

 make ample payment for their raids by the destruction of noxious in- 

 sects. 



The Robin is justly celebrated for its song, but I do not think it is gen- 

 erally known that it possesses much capacity for mimicry. A young 

 lady friend of mine obtained from some hoys a young Robin which they 

 had just removed from its nest in this city. She cared for it, and was 

 rewarded by a varied song. Before it was a year old it was perfect in the 

 execution of not only its own proper notes, but those of several other 

 birds. Among those I recognized the notes of the Loggerhead Shrike 

 and Yellow-breasted Chat, birds which do not visit the city, and which 

 it could not have heard. It undoubtedly learned these notes from a 

 neighboring caged Mocking;Bird. 



TUKDUS MDSTELINUS. Gm. 



"Wood Thrusli. 



Turdus musteUnus, Kiktland, Ohio Geolog. Snrv., 1838, 163. — Eead, Fam. Visitor, iii, 1853, 

 399 ; Proo. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad., vi, 395, 1853,— Wheaton, Ohio, Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 

 363 ; Reprint, 1861, 5 ; Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1874, 562 ; Reprint, 

 1875, 2. — Langdon, Cat. Birds of Gin., 1877, 3 ; Revised List, Jonr. Gin. Soo. Nat. 

 Hist , i, 1879, 169 ; Reprint, 3 —Jones and Shultz, Illustrations of Nests and Eggs 

 of Ohio Birds, Part 1, 1879, plate 2. 



Xurdus musteUnus, Gmeun, Syst. Nat., i, 1788, 817. 



Above bright tawny, shading into olive on rump and tail. Beneath vrhite, every- 

 where -except throat and belly, with large distinct spots of dusky. Bill dusky above, 

 yellowish below. Legs flesh-colored. Length H inches ; wing 4 ; tail 3. 



Habitat, United States east of Missouri plains, south to Guatemala. Mexico. Bermuda. 

 Cuba. 



Common summer resident. Arrives in Central Ohio the last week in 

 April or the first in May. Frequents woodland, and is not often seen in 

 cultivated places, at least during the breeding season. In some locali- 



