330 



North American Birds Eggs. 



7 5 6a. Willow Thrush. H. I. salicicola. 

 Range. — Rocky Mountain region, north to British Columbia. 

 The nests and eggs of this similar bird do not differ from those of the last. 



757. Gray-cheeked Thrush. Hylocichla alicix. 



Range. — Breeds from Labrador to Alaska; winters south to Central America. 



The nesting habits and eggs of this species are very similar to those of the 

 following sub-species and the same description will answer for both. 



757a. 



./^''^"i*!.. 



[(.jreenish blue. 



Blcknell Thrush. H. a. bkkaelli. 



Range.— Breeds in the Catskills, White Mountains and 

 Nova Scotia. 



These birds, which are practically identical with the 

 preceding, build their nests at low elevations in trees, usually 

 evergreens when present, making them of twigs, moss and 

 rootlets, lined with fine grasses. The eggs, which are laid 

 during May or June, are pale greenish blue, spotted and 

 blotched with pale brown or russet. Size .88 x .64. Data. — 

 Seal Island, Nova Scotia, June 8, 1901. Nest of green moss and rootlets, in a 

 spruce, 5 feet from the ground. Collector, H. E. Myers. 



758. Russet-backed Thrush. Hylorichla usiulata. 



Range. — Pacilic coast, breeding from Oregon and Alaska; 

 winters in Central America. 



This species is very abundant in moist thickets throughout 

 its range, nesting in bushes and low trees, and making them 

 of weed stalks, bark strips, grasses and moss, lined with fine 

 black rootlets. They are found at elevations of from two to 

 ten feet above the ground. Like the Wood Thrush the birds 

 are tame while sitting on the nest and will allow a very close [Greenish blue.] 

 approach, without taking alarm; nests are frequentlj' found which are made 

 almost entirely out of green moss and are very handsome structures. Their 

 three to five eggs are laid in May or June; thev are greenish blue, spotted with 

 brown of varying shades. Size .92 x .fj5. Data. — Eureka, California, July 6, 

 1899. Nest in a fir tree, 5 feet from the ground; made of moss and strips of 

 redwood bark. 4 eggs. Collector, F. J. Smith. 



758a. Olive-backed Thrush. H. u. sirainsonii. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States, 

 but locally in the northern parts, and abundantly in mountain ranges. 



The nesting habits and eggs of this eastern representative of the last species 

 are like those of that bird in all respects and the eggs cannot be distinguished 

 from those of ustulatus. 



758b. California Olive-backed Thrush. H. it. (tdica. 

 Range. — California and southern Oregon. 

 Nesting habits and eggs identical with those of ustiilatus. 



758c. Alma Thrush. //. if. alniH'. 

 Range. — Alaska and northern Rocky Mountains. 

 Its habits are the same and the eggs indistinguishable from those of the last. 



759. Alaskan Hermit Thrush. Hylocichla guttata. 



Range. — Pacific coast from British Columbia to Alaska. Winters in Mexico. 

 The Hermit Thrushes can readily be identified from any other by the reddish 

 brown tail which is in marked contrast to the color of the back. The nesting 

 habits and eggs of this species are precisely like those of the eastern Hermit 

 Thrush, which is a sub-species of this. 



