268 



Miiio., and Stoughton, Wis. Early birds had been seen at Lake City 

 Minn., May 3, and at Elk Elver, Minn., May 6. The regular advance 

 did not reach these places until May 15, on which date it was reported 

 also at Hastings and Minneapolis, Minn., and Eiver Ealls, New Eich- 

 mond, and Green Bay, Wis. The next day (May 16) about twenty were 

 seen at White Earth, Minn. During the cold period the bulk overtook 

 the advance guard, so that by the middle of May the van and bulk were 

 moving almost together. This is shown by the fact that while May 15 

 marked the arrival of the first at the above-named stations, enough 

 more came the next night to make the species common May 16. May 

 20 they were recorded as arriving at Huron, Dak. No reports were 

 received from the region between latitude 45° and latitude 49°, but May 

 25 and 26 they occupied the whole of Manitoba to latitude 50° 30'. 



In the fall of 1885 the last Catbird left Elk Eiver, Minn., September 

 12; Des Moines, Iow r a, September 18; and Mount Carrael, Mo., Sep- 

 tember 10. At Saint Louis, Mo., they were numerous from September 



16 to 26; the bulk left September 29, and the last followed October 6. 

 Yery late migrants were seen at Milwaukee, Wis., October 24-, and 

 Eayette, Mo., November 20; while at Bonham, Tex., where they had 

 been reported during the three previous winters, not a Catbird was 

 seen during the winter of 1885-'86. 



705. Harporhynchus rufus (Linn.). [13.] Brown Thrasher. 



The Brown Thrasher is a common summer resident throughout the 

 Mississippi Valley and Manitoba, and winters in the Gulf States and 

 southward. In 1884 reports upon its migration were received from 85 

 observers. The species is so easily recognized that it is not likely to be 

 overlooked, but its movements on its first arrival are so stealthy and 

 retired that it may be present for several days without being observed, 

 unless the weather is fine. In the winter of 1883-'84 it was reported 

 as a winter resident at Waverly, Miss., Mermenton, La., and Abbe- 

 ville, La., being abundant at the two last-mentioned places. At Cor- 

 inth, Miss., a single bird was seen December 28, 1883, and January 10, 

 1884. The observer adds that they were never seen there before during 

 thirty years residence. They have been known to winter as far north 

 as southern Illinois. The first record of its appearance north of Mis- 

 sissippi and Louisiana in 1884 was made at Danville, 111., March 15. 



This was probably a straggler. The first general movement took 

 place about March 22. On that day a single male, in high plumage? 

 but silent, appeared at Saint Louis. The following day three males 

 were observed at their old stands, in song. The same day (March 23) 

 it was reported from Odin and Carlinville, 111.; and April 1 from Hills- 

 borough and Griggsville, 111. April 4 the bulk arrived at Eeeds, Mo., 

 and April 10 at Mount Carmel, Mo. April 12 the first arrived at Lin- 

 wood, Nebr. Two days later the bulk reached Saint Louis, Mo. April 



17 the first appeared at Manhattan, Kans., and April 19 at Coleta, 111. 

 This date was the height of the season at Saint Louis, Mo., where the 



