LAND BIRDS. 707 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
_ Adult male: Upper parts bluish-gray, the top of the head lead-blue, with a black 
line in front and along both sides; under parts mainly white, shaded with gray on the sides; 
outer tail-feathers white. The adult female is similar, execpt that it lacks the black linc 
on the head. 
Length 4 to 5.50 inches; wing 2 to 2.20; tail 2 to 2.20. 
Family 73. TURDIDAS. Thrushes, Bluebirds, ete. 
A family of beautiful birds, including some of the most familiar hirds 
of garden and orchard, as well as several delightful songsters not so well 
known. The seven species which occur regularly in Michigan, together 
with an eighth for which there is a single doubtful record, may be separated 
by means of the following artificial key. It should be remembered that 
every member of the family has the first primary very short, never more 
than one-fourth as long as the longest. 
KEY TO SPECIES. 
A. Under parts, at least the breast, with spots. 3B, BB. 
B. Back with narrow whitish streaks or spots. ©, CC. 
C. Upper surface of wings and tail tinged with blue. Bluebird 
(young). No. 326. 
CC. Upper surface of wings and tail without trace of blue. Robin 
(young). No. 324. 
BB. Back without any whitish streaks or spots. D, DD. 
D. Color of upper surface uniform (brown) from head to tail. 
E, EE. 
E. Upper parts light (tawny) brown; chest tinged with 
the same color and lightly spotted. Wilson’s Thrush. 
Veery. No. 20. 
EE. Upper parts dark (olive) brown; chest heavily spotted. 
IF, FF. 
F. Cheeks brown or buffy. Olive-backed Thrush. No. 
322. 
FF. Cheeks gray. Gray-cheeked Thrush. No. 321. 
DD. Color of upper surface not uniform. G, GG. 
(. Head and back uniform olive; tail deep rufous. Hermit 
Thrush. No. 323. 
GG. Rump and tail olive, head bright rufous. Wood Thrush. 
No. 319. 
AA. Under parts not spotted. H, HH. 
H. Breast red-brown. I, II. 
I. Upper parts with more or less blue. Bluebird (adult). No. 
325. 
II. Upper parts without any trace of blue. J, Ju. a 
J. Tail largely white with a broad black band across its tip. 
Wheatear. (Appendix.) 
JJ. Tail largely blackish, only the two outer pairs of feathers 
with white near tip. Robin (adult). No. 324. 
HH. Breast white or merely tinged with yellowish-brown. Wheatear. 
(Appendix.) 
