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a second specimen pointed more strongly toward it, it was not until I had reached home, and made 
actual compariscas, that I. could feel satisfied that its true relationship was with that species. These 
examples from the Catskills were submitted to Mr. Ridgway, the result being the recognition of a 
new bird, belonging to our eastern fauna. 
“But to return to the mountain. It would hardly be justifiable to make a positive statement 
about a difficult song that had been but once identified, but I feel positive that the Thrushes which 
were last heard that evening about our camp on the extreme summit of the mountain were the new 
form. Night was rapidly falling, and the valleys were in darkness, when one sang several times near 
the camp, and for some time afterwards a single call-note was occasionally heard, and the varying 
distance of the sound showed that the birds were still active. Excepting these sounds, the last 
bird-notes heard were those of the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. 
*'The sharp north-west wind continued late, and the night became clear and cold. Shortly 
after midnight the bright moon showed the temperature, by a thermometer which I had hung beside 
the camp, to be 35°, and at sunrise it stood at 32°. Before daylight I was standing on a boulder of 
conglomerate on the dim mountain's brow listening for the awakening of the birds. Тһе first songs 
heard were those of the Hermit-Thrush, Snow-bird, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, which began 
almost simultaneously, followed a little later by those of the Olive-backed Thrush and the Mouming 
Warbler, but 7. alicia bicknelli was not heard or at least not near enough to be distinguished among 
the other species. 
“The increasing light upon the mountain seemed to attract the birds from below, whither, 
perhaps, they had retired for the night, and soon many different notes were to be heard about the 
camp ; not, however, in that boisterous chorus with which the day is often announced about our 
homes, in which the notes of many individuals of many species are blended in such confused medley 
that separate voices are almost indistinguishable, but simply the association of a few vocalists, the 
very isolation of whose position endowed their voices with an additional interest and charm. 
* After those already mentioned, the Black-poll Warbler (Dendroica striata) began its unpre- 
tending notes, which almost to me suggest a short dotted line, and this song, with that of the 
Black-and-Yellow Warbler, occasionally alternated about us іп agreeable contrast. Now and then a 
Canada Nuthatch, on its morning tour, tarried to inspect some dead trunk or thinly clothed tree, 
upon the projecting apex of which, or that of some companion, a solitary Purple Finch occasionally 
alighted, and with a few wild fugitive notes was gone, to other mountain tops or the forests of the 
descending slopes." i 
The following account of the nesting of Bicknell's Thrush by the Rev. J. H. Langille has been 
published in the * Auk ' (vol. i. pp. 268-270):— 
“ Off the south-west end of Nova Scotia, opposite Yarmouth and Shelburn Counties, is a large 
number of islands—one for every day in the year, they say. On leaving the harbour of the city of 
Yarmouth, off to the westward and wellout at sea, are Green Island and Garneet Rock. Then 
come the Tusket Islands, many in number, and of varied size, form and appearance; some being 
partly cultivated, some wholly wooded, and the outermost almost as smooth as a lawn; these last are 
called the Bald Tuskets. Farthest out at sea and very nearly on an extended line between the two 
counties mentioned are the Mud Islands and the Seal Islands. These are almost entirely covered 
with a low growth of evergreens—black spruce and balsam fir. Except the Robin, the Song-Sparrow, 
and Snow-bird, and a few Redstarts and Winter Wrens, almost the only small land birds breeding 
hore are the Black-poll Warbler and Bicknell's Thrush-—the last two being very abundant. 
“This Thrush was wholly new to me. My attention was first arrested by its call or alarm note, 
which sounded like ‘ cree-e-e-e-eep, or quee-a, or стее-е-е-ее, in a rather fine high key. It had some 
resemblance to the call of Wilson's Thrush, but was unmistakably different; and, as Mr. Brewster 
1 
