Open Nests on the Ground 
are laid ; they are whitish, bluish, or greenish, with numerous 
fine light brown specks evenly distributed. Size—1.08 x .8o. 
See Fig. 8, Plate B. 
The Brown Thrasher is also known under the names of 
Ground Thrush, Brown Thrush, and in Virginia he is known as 
the Sandy Mocking-bird, and further south as the French Mocking- 
bird. In some localities they prefer bushes and thickets, while 
in others they build almost exclusively on the ground. My own 
experience has been that most of the nests were found on the 
ground, near tall weeds, in an open field; very few were in bushes. 
While on the nest these birds, like their relatives the wrens, 
sit very close, allowing themselves to be almost caught, but once 
they leave the nest their manner changes and they become in- 
tensely noisy, making a great pretence of attacking the intruder, 
uttering repeatedly their harsh, scolding note. 
During the very early hours of the morning or late in the 
afternoon the brown thrasher may be seen perched on the top- 
most branch of a tree, singing a song, full and rich in tone, re- 
sembling somewhat that of the European song thrush. 
The nesting season begins about the second week in May. 
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