124 BIRD3 OF COLORADO. 



751. Polioptila caerulea. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. 



Summer resident; rare. Not known north of El Paso 

 County nor west of the mountains. Breeds on the plains and 

 in the foothills to 7,000 feet. H. W. Nash found a nest at 

 Pueblo June 22, containing two young and a cowbird's egg. 

 Lowe notes its arrival at the same place April 27, common 

 May 10. 



754. Myadestes townsendii. Townsend's Solitaire. 



Resident; common. In the mountains is a permanent 

 resident, winter as well as summer. Only visits the plains dur- 

 ing the fall, winter and spring and then not so common as in 

 the mountains and quite local. lycaves the plains about the 

 first of May and returns about the middle of Octobfer, but strag- 

 glers are found at the ba.se of the foothills, both later and earlier 

 than these dates. Though not common except at the western 

 edge of the plains, Capt. P. M. Thorne took four specimens at 

 Fort Lyon and it is known as a rare fall and winter visitor in 

 western Kansas. Through all the winter it can be found in 

 the mountains from the lower valleys to about 10,000 feet; in 

 summer it breeds from 8,000 to fully 12,000 feet. Pairs the 

 last of April and first of May and laying lasts from the first week 

 in June to the middle of July. Though so abundant and well 

 known, it was not until 1876 that the first nest with eggs was 

 taken. This was by W. L. Lamb in Summit County July, 1876, 

 at 10,000 feet; eggs about ten days incubated. T. M. Trippe 

 found a nest and four eggs at Howardsville July 9, 1880, D. D. 

 Stone found two sets June 20 and one June 25, 1882, at Hancock, 

 and Wm. G. Smith took fresh eggs on Buffalo Creek, Jefferson 

 County, June 18, 1883. During the season of 1883 D. D. Stone 

 took ten sets from June 6 to July 8 at Alpine Tunnel and Han- 

 cock. After this they could no longer be called "extremely 

 rare. ' ' 



756a. Turdus fuscescens salicicola. Willow Thrush. 



Summer resident; not uncommon. Occurs throughout 

 the lower parts of the State, during migration as far east as 

 Kansas. Breeds in the foothills and parks to about 8,000 feet. 

 Arrives early in May. 



758a. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii. Olive-backed Thrush. 

 Summer resident, rare; in migration, common. The bulk 

 pass through Colorado on the plains and in the mountains from 

 the first week in May to the last of the month, and on the 

 return arrive in September and leave the State in October. A 

 few remain to breed from the plains to 10,500 feet, but most 

 above 8,000 feet. 



