Wilson's Thrush 



52 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



2. Wilson's Thrush (756. TArdus fuscescens). — A large 

 thrush, with a dull cinnamon-brown back, uniform in tint 



from head to tail. Its 

 throat, belly, and sides are 

 white ; its breast buffy, 

 delicately marked with tri- 

 angular brownish spots. A 

 retiring, though not par- 

 ticularly shy bird, inhabit- 

 ing the dense woodlands, 

 especially low, wet ones, 

 and usually to be found 

 nearer the ground than the 



wood thrush. Its notes are among the sweetest given by any 



bird, but it is impossible to write them in words or music. 



Its peculiarly weird song must be heard to be appreciated, 



(Veery ; Tawny Thrush.) 



Length, 1\ ; wing, 4 (3}-4^) ; tail, 3 ; tarsus, 1| ; oulmen, f. Eastern 

 North America from Ontario southward; breeding from nortliern Ohio 

 and New Jersey northward, and wintering mainly south of the United 

 States. The Willow Thrush, a variety of the last (756°. T.f. salidola), 

 is a little larger, and has the upper parts less tawny, a russet-olive color, 

 only a slight buff tint to the throat, and very few spots on the white 

 breast. Length, 7| ; wing, 4 ; tail, Z\ ; tarsus, \\ ; culmen, |. Rocky 

 Mountain region, occasionally east to Illinois and possibly to South 

 Carolina. 



3. Gray-cheeked Thrush (757. Turdus aUcice). — A uniformly 

 olive-backed thrush, with the middle of throat and belly white, 

 the sides of throat and breast faintly buffy, spotted with tri- 

 angular marks, and a whitish eye ring. In front of the eye 

 there is a grayish blotch. A shy bird, of which but little is 

 known, as it has been confused with the variety, Bicknell's 

 Thrush, next given. (Alice's Thrush.) 



Length, 7J ; wing, 4|- (3|-4f) ; tail, SJ ; tarsus, 1^ ; culmen, \. East- 

 ern North America ; breeding mainly north of the United States, and 

 wintering south to Central America. Bicknell's Thrush, a variety of the 

 last (757". T. a. Ucknelli), is somewhat brighter colored and smaller. 

 Length, 6|; wing, 3| (3|-3J) ; tail, 2| ; tarsus, 1^; culmen, \. Breed- 



