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 .80. 

 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 alrnost 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. 



51 



