32 



DWARF THRUSH. 



■f Turdus Nanus. 

 PLATE CXLVIL— Male. 



The history of our smaller Thrushes has been involved in obscurity by 

 the attempts which have been made to restore to some of those described by 

 Wilson the names supposed to have been bestowed on them by European 

 writers, and by changing the names given by Wilson to such as could not 

 satisfactorily be referred to previous writers. The difficulties that present 

 themselves when we attempt to recognise species ill figured and slightly 

 described, are very great, and I have often thought that too little credit had 

 been given to Wilson with respect to the smaller Thrushes which he has 

 described, and which no European writer, who has not studied their habits 

 and procured the birds in our woods, can correctly characterize, unless he 

 may have a great number of specimens, ticketed when obtained, and shew- 

 ing the differences as to size and markings that occur in old and young 

 individuals, males and females, and which are the more difficult to judge of 

 on account of the general mutual resemblance of birds of this genus. 

 Experience has proved to me that the size, and to some extent, the colour 

 of the spots on the breast of our small Thrushes differ in winter and summer, 

 as the tips of the feathers become more or less worn. Nature, however, has 

 provided each species with characters, which may with care and patience be 

 understood. 



After a careful examination and comparison, I was induced to consider the 

 present as a new species, to which, on account of its small size, I gave the 

 name of "Dwarf Thrush, T. nanus." It is nearly allied to the Hermit 

 Thrush, but is smaller, and has the second and sixth quills nearly equal, 

 whereas in T. solita? , ius the second quill is considerably shorter than the 

 sixth. It must be confessed that it differs very little from that species, 

 excepting as to size, and especially that of the bill. It is extremely rare in 

 our Atlantic districts, where, however, I have procured a few individuals. 

 Indeed, the first intimation which I received respecting it was from my friend 

 Dr. Charles Pickering of Philadelphia, who, having procured one, had kept 

 its wings and head, the smallness of which struck me at once. I was then 

 far from imagining that its native haunts were the valleys of the Columbia 

 river, from which, however, I have since received it through the kindness 



