North American Birds Eggs. 



311 



Can- 



(ii( I'Mi'ili w hitt 



705. Brown Thrasher. Toxostoma rufuin. 

 Range.— Eastern North America, breeding from the Gulf States north to 



ada. Winters in the Gulf States and southward. 



This large, liandsome songster is found breeding in just 

 such localities as are preferred by the Catbird and the two •< • 

 are often found nesting in the same hedge or thicket. The ' 

 nests, too, are similar but that of the Thrasher is usually 

 more bulky; besides building in bushes, they frequently 

 nest on the ground, lining the hollow under some busli 

 with fine rootlets. Their three to five eggs are laid durin 

 May or June; they are whitish or pale greenish white, pro 

 fusely dotted with reddish brown. Size 1 05 x .80. 



706. Sennett Thrasher. Toxoittoma loagirontrc Hennetti. 

 Range. — Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. 



Very similar to the last but darker above and with the 

 spots Qn the breast blacker and more distinct. This species 

 which is very abundant in the Lower Rio Grande \'alley 

 nests the same as the last species in thick hedges and the 

 eggs are very similar t(j those of the Brown Thrasher, but 

 in a large series, average more sparingly marked over the 

 whole surface and with a more definite wreath abcjut the 

 large end. Data.— Corpus Christi, Texas, May 12, 189'.). 

 Nest of twigs and vines in a bush in thicket. Six feet from 

 the ground. Collector, F. B. Armstrong. 



707. Curve-billed Thrasher. Toxostoma rurviroHtre . 



Range. — Mexico, north to southern Texas and eastern New Mexico. 



This species is a uniform ashy gray above and soiled 

 white below; the bill is stout and decurved. These birds 

 are as numerous in the Lower Rio Grande Valley as are 

 the Sennett Thrashers, frequenting thickets where thej' 

 breed in scrubh)y bushes and cacti. Their nests are 

 rather larger-aftd more deeply cupped than are those of 

 the last species and the eggs can easily be distinguished. 

 They have a ground color of light bluish green, minute- 

 ly dotted evenly all over the surface with reddish brown. 

 Size 1.10 X .80. Data.— Brownsville, Texas, April 6, 1900 

 sticks and thorns on a cactus in a thicket; 6 feet from the ground. 

 Frank B. Armstrong. 

 707a. Palmer Thrasher. T. c. palmcri. 



Range. — Very abundant in southern Arizona and southward into Mexico. 



The nesting habits and eggs of these birds are exactly like those of the last; 

 the}' show a preference for placing their nests of sticks and thorny twigs upon 

 cacti at elevations below five feet from the ground. Like the last, they generally 

 raise two broods a season. 



708. Bendire Thrasher, Toxostoma bendirci. 



Range. — Southern Arizona and Mexico; north locally to southern Colorado. 



This species is not as abundant in the deserts of southern 

 Arizona as are the last species with which they associate. 

 They nest at low elevations in mesquites or cacti, laying 

 their first sets in March and early April and usually rais- 

 ing two broods a season; their three or four eggs are dull 

 whitish, spotted and blotched with brownish drab and lilac 

 gray. Size 1.00 x .72. Data.— Tucson, Arizona, April 15, 

 1896. Nest 3 feet up in a eholla cactusj; made of large sticks 

 lined with fine grasses. Collector, O. W. Howard. 



[IJluish green. 1 



5 eggs. Nest of 

 Collector, 



?'\ 



