166 
Mr. Nehrling writes :—“ During migration in autumn and spring the Grey-cheeked Thrush . 
is a common bird in our woodlands. In northern Шіпоів it makes its appearance late in 
September and passes southward without long delay. In spring it usually arrives during the 
last days of April and then often lingers several weeks. At this time you may hear its really 
beautiful, delicious song. It is unlike the song of all the smaller Thrushes, but is nearest to 
that of the Hermit. It differs, however, in being exactly inverse, for whereas the Hermit begins 
with its lowest notes and proceeds on an ascending scale, Alice's Thrush begins with its highest 
and concludes with its lowest note.” 
Mr. E. W. Nelson, in his work on the Natural History of Alaska, observes :— Dall records а 
nest obtained from an elevation of about 6 feet in a small alder. This nest was made of hair, 
lined with scraps of deer-hair, feathers, and moss. A nest obtained by me near St. Michaels, 
on the 186 of June, is an extremely small, loose structure, formed by lining a small depression 
at the base of a shrub in the midst of an alder-thicket with fine soft grass leaves. "Гһе material 
of the nest is uniform throughout, and in this particular partly bears out Dr. Brewer's statement 
in the * History of North American Birds, which is: “Тһе nests [of T. alicia] are also quite 
different in their appearance and style of structure. The Hypnum mosses are wholly wanting 
in those of Т. alicia? This statement is not confirmed, however, by the examination of other 
nests. А second example, obtained at St. Michaels on June 20, was composed mainly of 
these mosses mixed with a small amount of coarse grass. This nest was placed upon the 
branching base of a small alder only a few inches from the ground. Тһе first-mentioned 
measured 92 inches across the top by 2 inches deep, and the eggs which it contained measure 
:90 by :64, and :93 by 68. These eggs аге blue, with a varying amount 
which is most abundant at the larger end. In two specimens of 
1, while in the other two the speckling is 80 
Of the specimens in the National Museum 
respectively, ‘93 by “62, 
of reddish-brown speckling, 
this set the spots are thinly scattered over the shel 
distributed that over half the surface is concealed by it. 
Collection some are scarcely marked at all, while in others the ground-colour is nearly hidden. 
'The single egg found in the second nest measures '92 by 69. This nest measures 3 inches in depth 
by 4 inches in width, the central cavity being 2 inches deep. 
here that the nest jüst described is typical of the structure made 
Brewer, but, as every field-ornithologist is aware, any attempt at 
of the nests of birds must fail. Observation shows 
ily influenced by the surroundings and by the 
“It may be remarked 
by T. swainsoni, according to Dr. 
an exact science of zoology and the study 
that in building their nests birds аге necessar 
nature of the material near their nesting-sites. The so-called instinct which has been supposed 
to lead birds of one species to almost invariably select a certain kind of material and a certain 
position for their nests has little foundation in fact. The nesting-range of the Grey-cheeked 
Thrush extends throughout Alaska, as specimens have been obtained in all parts of the 
Territory, during the breeding-season, except, however, the islands of Bering Sea and the Aleutian 
Chain." 
The nesting of T. alicia: is thus described by Dr. Brewer :—“ The nests measure about 4 inches 
in diameter and 23 in height. Тһе cavity is 2 inches deep, and its diameter 21 inches. They 
are usually compact for the nest of a Thrush, and are composed chiefly of an elaborate interweaving 
leaves, stems of the more delicate Equisetacee, dry grasses, strips of fine bark, 
and decayed leaves, the whole intermingled with the paniculated inflorescence of grasses. There 
is little or no lining other than these materials. These nests were all found, with but few 
exceptions, on the branches of low trees, from two to seven feet from the ground. In a few 
exceptional cases the nests were built on the ground. 
«< Occasionally nests of this species are found constructed with the base and sides of solid 
of fine sedges, 
—— —rs 
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