516 Birds of Colorado 
In Colorado Townsend’s Solitaire is a resident throughout the year, 
breeding in the mountains from about 7,000 feet to timber line, and 
wintering occasionally up to 9,000 feet, as well as in the pifion and 
cedar belts of the foothills. It sometimes wanders out into the plains, 
and has been recorded by Thorne from Fort Lyon in April, and by 
Warren (06) from Baca co. in the same month, while Allen & Brewster 
saw a large number close to Colorado Springs as late as April 29th, 
driven down from the mountains by a severe storm. 
The -following are the breeding records: Estes Park, 8,500 feet 
(Cooke), near Arkins, at about 6,200 feet (Cary), near Gold Hill, Boulder 
co., 7,000 to 10,000 feet (Gale), Buffalo Creek, Jefferson co., 6,000 feet 
(Smith), above Breckenridge, 10,000 feet (Lamb), Hancock and Alpine 
Tunnel, Chaffee co., 11,000 to 11,500 feet (Stone), Howardsville, San 
Juan co., 10,500 feet, Trippe (Drew). 
Habits.—Townsend’s Solitaire is rather a shy and 
retiring bird. It is not uncommon in winter in the pifion 
and cedar zone of the foothills, where it feeds on the 
cedar berries, and also on whatever insects it can procure ; 
these it catches like a Flycatcher, darting from a fixed 
perch, or searching for them among dead leaves on the 
ground. It is rather solitary, though occasionally seen 
in small bunches of four or five in the fall, probably 
family parties. All observers wax enthusiastic over its 
song—‘a silvery cascade of melody,” Trippe calls it ; 
curiously enough, it is heard chiefly in the fall and winter, 
not only on bright sunny days, but even in the worst 
weather. It has a loud and clear call-note as well. 
The credit of the first discovery of its nest is due to 
Wilbur F. Lamb, who in July, 1876, found one in 
the bank of a miner’s ditch among overhanging roots, 
at an elevation of 10,000 feet above Breckenridge in 
Summit co. Since then it has been described by several 
observers. The nest is always placed on the ground 
in a crevice in a bank or railway cutting (Stone), or very 
frequently in a miner’s shaft (Gale), but always where 
it is screened from the direct rays of the sun by an over- 
hanging rock or other shelter. The nest itself is loosely 
