ECOLOGY OF ISLE ROYALB. 385 



and was one of the most abundant thrushes during migration. The 

 dense heavily shaded forest offered the most favorable conditions and 

 except during migration it was seldom found in anj' other location. 

 The damp places bordering streams were a favorite resort, the birds 

 being usually found on the lower border of the balsam and spruce or 

 among the decaying leaves and rubbish at their bases. Owing to the 

 dense, shade the lowest branches usually died and dropped off, so for a 

 height of three to five feet it was relatively open. It was this rather 

 open, yet heavily shaded condition which seemed to be best suited to 

 these thrushes during the breeding season. They were also found in 

 dense alder thickets and resorted to the border of the woods and the 

 roadside during the migration. 



Breeding Notes: On July 8 an Olive-backed Thrush's nest was found 

 in the balsam-spruce forest at Eock Harbor (I, 3). The nest was 

 situated on a horizontal spruce limb about five feet from the ground. 

 The tree stood at the edge of a small rocky opening. It was placed 

 about four feet from the tree trunk and was quite conspicuous. The 

 nest was composed principally of dead grasses with moss and the long 

 thread-like tree lichens woven in. Rootlets and leaves formed the lining. 

 Three very young birds were found. Only one adult was seen and this 

 one proved very shy, refusing to return to her young while being watched. 

 During the forenoon the sunlight fell directly iipon this nest, so exposed 

 was its position at the edge of the rocky clearing, but in the afternoon 

 it was shielded by a high wall of rocks about twenty feet distant. 



On August 3 a female Olive-backed Thrush was found accompanied 

 by two young just able to fly. They were feeding in a thicket of maple 

 and mountain ash at the edge of a small clearing on one of the islands 

 in Siskowit Bay. 



111. Hylocichla guttata paUasii (759b). Hermit Thrush. 



Range : Eastern North America, breeding from the northern Alle- 

 ghanies, the mountainous parts of southern New England, southern New 

 York, and northern Michigan, etc., northward and wintering from the 

 northern states southward. 



Stations : Rock Harbor, Balsam-spruce Forest, I, 3. 

 Siskowit Bay, Balsam Birch Forest, V, 4. 

 Washington Harbor, borders of clearings, I, '04; Forest 

 near river, II, '04. 



Bi'eeding: A young bird was taken July 7. 



Migration : August 22 ; September 14. 



The Hermit Thrush probably breeds throughout the islands in suitable 

 localities. No nests were found, but the immature specimen taken July 

 7 is probably a breeding record, as none of these birds were observed 

 migrating until August 22. Thej' were never abundant, but during 

 part of the period were nearly as common as the Olive-Backed. The 

 dense clumps of mountain maple were the favorite habitat. 



112. Merula mir/ratoria (761). American Robin. 



Range: Eastern North America to the Rocky Mountains, including 

 eastern Mexico and Alaska. Breeds from Virginia and Kansas north- 

 ward to the Arctic coast; winters from southern Canada and the north- 

 ern states (irregularly) southward. 



