514 Birds of Colorado 
12th (Henderson), while on the western slope it was taken by W. 
Ferril at Grand Junction, May 17th (Smith). The only definite bree 
ing record is that of Nash, who found a nest containing two you 
and a Cow-bird, near Pueblo, June 22nd (Cooke). Cary found it fai: 
common in the McEImo cajion in June, and along the Dolores Rix 
in July. 
Habits.—The Gnatcatchers are active and high] 
strung little birds, always on the move, cocking up the 
tails and twisting their heads about; they have the 
home chiefly among shrubby bushes on the hill-sides 
among mesquite or other cover on the plains ; they fe 
on small insects, which they catch on the wing, dartii 
from a fixed perch like a Flycatcher. 
The nest is cup-shaped, made of shreds of bark, lin 
with finer shreds and feathers, and is generally plac 
in a bush a few feet from the ground. The eggs a 
marked with reddish-brown and purplish, most heavi 
round the larger end. 
Family TURDID. 
This family comprises the Thrushes, a large fami 
of birds, especially distinguished by the spotted pluma, 
of the young birds. Other special features are—b 
slender, more or less straight, nostril never conceal 
by bristles; wing with ten primaries, the outer o1 
spurious or quite short; tail always shorter than tl 
wing, generally considerably so; tarsus booted, i. 
covered in front with one long shield. 
Key oF THE GENERA.* 
A. Tail long, nearly equal to the wing and double rounded ; pluma 
grey with a double wing-bar. Myadestes, p. 5: 
B. Tail always distinctly shorter than the wing. 
wu. Plumage chiefly blue. Sialia, p. 5! 
b. No blue in plumage. 
* Betts (‘Auk,” 1910, p. 218) has recently recorded the Varied Thrush (Jor 
neevius) from Colorado. He states that he saw but did not obtain a single exam 
on December 5th, 1909, at Gregory Caiion, near Boulder. 
