2% 221 
`. less varied ; its song is, however, to my mind, much richer and more musical than that of the Robin. 
Ма, Dozens of these birds could be heard singing early each morning, and in the afternoon we were 
again serenaded by this inspiring chorus of bird-song." 
Сау; Eggs of the present species procured by Mr. Boucard from Oaxaca are described by Dr. Sclater 
ік, as "resembling pale varieties of the European Blackbird, being of a pale greenish-white, spotted 
[^T and freckled with two shades of rufous. They measure 1:1 inch by 0°75.” 
M Adult male in winter plumage. General colour above dark olive-brown, the head scarcely deeper 
in tint than the back ; the rump clearer olive than the back; the wing-coverts like the back; the 
ГЕ bastard-wing, primary-coverts, quills, and tail dark sepia-brown, externally washed with olive-brown, 
mi the primaries rather paler on the margins, and the innermost secondaries entirely olive-brown ; lores 
“я dusky ; ear-coverts and sides of face dark olive-brown, with scarcely perceptible pale fulvous shaft- 
mak streaks; chin and throat white, with broad mesial triangular spots of black, giving a streaked 
d appearance to the throat, these spots collecting on the malar line and forming a moustachial streak, 
ia above which is a broad line of white along the cheeks; lower throat white, forming a large patch; 
ш fore-neck, chest, and sides of body light ochreous-brown, tinged with ashy, and slightly darker on^ 
у 7 the lower flanks; thighs like the flanks; centre of breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts white, 
jm with dusky edgings to the base of some of the feathers; under wing-coverts and axillaries clear 
кА orange-buff, the outer coverts ashy-brown; quills light sepia-brown below, the quill-lining pale 
y; €: orange-buff along the inner web. Тоба! length 8:8 inches, culmen 0:9, wing 4°75, tail 9:6, 
Y. tarsus 1:2, 
yn Adult female. Does not differ in colour from the male. Total length 9 inches, wing 4-5. 
gk: In the breeding-season the plumage becomes much worn and decidedly greyer, especially 
Ls on the head, wings, and tail. The breast and sides of the body are also more ashy-brown, and there 
ші? is less of the buff tinge seen in the winter-dress: “bill plumbeous; feet dark plumbeous ; iris 
31. brown" (W. Lloyd). 
ih Young. Rather darker olive than the adults and having longitudinal centres of orange-buff to 
ше. the feathers of Ше upper surface, the wing-coverts tipped with triangular spots of the same colour ; Í 
ant! under surface tinged with orange-buff, and mottled with blackish tips and bars at the end of the i 
m. feathers, more distinct on those of the chest and less marked on the abdomen; throat minutely | 
nm spotted with dusky brown. d 
s Young birds after their moult may be distinguished from old ones by the more or less distinct | 
ЫШ remains of tawny spots at the ends of the greater wing-coverts, which are retained till the following š 
«Эй spring. One obtained by Mr. Richardson at Теріс on the 26th of May has likewise a few triangular | | 
- 4 dusky spots on the ashy-brown fore-neck. 3 
Lf There is apparently some variation in the size of individuals of this Thrush; for instance, a |. 
у female froni Omilteme has the wing 5:25 inches, while one from Jalapa measures only 4:5. А male ў 
м” from the same place has a wing of 5 inches. i | 
уа” Mr. F. M. Chapman (2. c.), on the authority of Mr. Nelson, proclaims that Western birds are | 
different from those of Eastern Mexico. Не writes: —“Comparison of two specimens of this Thrush, | f 
ш}! collected by Dr. С. А. Buller, at Tonila, Jalisco, with eight specimens from Jalapa, shows such y 
” marked differences in colour that I have submitted my Jalapa material to Mr. E. W. Nelson for i | 
T y comparison with his large series of Merula tristis from the west coast region, including specimens 
ya? from Huitzilac, Morelos, which is the same district as Temascaltepec, the locality whence came 
Td Swainson's type. Mr. Nelson kindly writes me that the Jalapan birds differ from west coast 
av examples in their darker coloration, the wings and tail being blackish brown, not greyish olive- 
brown, the brown on the flank being greyer and darker. West coast birds are somewhat the larger, 
as as the following average measurements of series of males from Morelos and Jalisco and from Jalapa 
VOL. I. 21 
