м” 
188 
Specimens collected by Buckley at Jima, in Ecuador, are in the Salvin-Godman Collection, 
and Fraser obtained the species at Gualaquiza (Sclater, P. 7, S. 1858, р. 451). Mr. O. T. Baron 
has met with it at many places on the Peruvian Andes, at Leimebamba (8500 feet) in December, 
Levanto (9000 feet) in November, and at San Pedro (9000 feet) in both these months. His later 
collections contain specimens from Vina, Huamacho (5000 feet), obtained in February and March. 
A Bolivian example from Bridges's Collection is in the British Museum. 
Von Pelzeln has recorded the Olive-backed Thrush from босау in Brazil, where it was found 
by Natterer at the foot of the mountain in February, and the same celebrated collector obtained 
the species at Maribatanas in March (Orn. Bras. p. 92). 
Swainson's Thrush has been recorded from Heligoland and from Holstein by Gátke (B. Heligo- 
land, Engl. ed. p. 242), and by Prof. Giglioli from Italy (Avif. Ital. p. 100). According to the 
last-named authority, one was taken near Genoa in the autumn of 1843, and another is in 
the museum at Roveredo. 
The habits of the Olive-backed Thrush do not seem to differ from those of the other small 
species which are its allies. Mr. Stearns, in his * New England Bird Life,’ writes :—“ Its usual 
resorts are similar to those of the Hermit, but the mode of nesting, as well as the egg, is quite 
different, though the structure of the nest itself is much the same. Тһе nest is built not upon 
the ground, but in a bush or small tree, at a man's height, or beyond it. The first set of 
eggs is laid about the Ist of June, and there may be a second set five or six weeks later. 
These are usually four in number, dull greenish-blue in ground-colour, but freely speckled 
with brownish. In size they are not distinctively different from those of the Hermit, but may 
average a trifle larger. The Olive-back has a pleasing song while mating and nesting, and 
is not at all chary of its vocalization at such times; but nothing will be heard from it during the 
migrations except a sharp, abrupt call-note. Its general habits and tastes are like those of the 
Hermit, the most evident difference between the two birds being in the position of their nests and 
the times of their migrations." 
Mr. Williams has given the following interesting note on the species in his paper on the 
“ Birds of the Belt River Cañon, Montana ”:—“ Abundant during the breeding-season, appearing 
in considerable numbers about the middle of May and again in the second or third week in 
September. all along the lower valley streams. Тһе earliest date I have noted their arrival 
in spring is May 10th, and at this season they do not tarry long away from their breeding-grounds. 
In the fall they appear from the higher elevations about September 1st, and remain till October 10th 
at least. Throughout the summer the Olive-back is only found in the mountains and, like the 
Willow Thrush, at but very short distances from water, but, unlike that species, the male is not 
satisfied with an elevation of only a few feet, when towards evening he pours forth his curious 
lay to his shy mate below. At such times the most prominent limb of some tall cottonwood is noue 
too lofty a perch. 
“About the first of July I camped for several days іп a grove that seemed a chosen resort 
for Olive-backs. Regularly, an hour or so before dark, a bird would be heard from some topmost 
branch, and scarcely would he be through, before another would answer from a few rods away, 
only to be followed by still another, till half a dozen or more could be heard from different 
localities. Nor would they cease until the last rays of daylight were rapidly disappearing from 
the western sky. In early morning they were not nearly so active. In regard to the song 
itself, the birds almost always begin by several call-notes, interspersed with various odd chucks, 
then the ringing melody, characteristic of the Willow-Thrush’s song, is produced, winding 
rather abruptly with some fine, weaker notes. Occasionally they would utter the first call-notes 
and ‘chucks’ without anything following, but I never heard the latter and more pleasing part 
ў 
| 
\ 
\ 
—— тре е 
—— mtu 
——M- 
MÀ € 
