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757. Turdus aliciae Baird. [3.] Gray -cheeked Thrush. 



Alice's Thrush winters south and breeds north of our borders. But 

 few notes were contributed on its movements, because few observers 

 distinguish it from the Olive-backed Thrush. It is a common migrant 

 in western Manitoba. The records received for 1884 can not be consid- 

 ered as very trustworthy since they give its appearance at about the 

 same date (May 7 and May 8) over the region from latitude 38° 40', in 

 Missouri, to latitude 42° 56', in Dakota, and latitude 44° 32', in Minne- 

 sota. At Saint Louis the record reads : May 7, first ; May 16, bulk ; 

 May 25, last. Thus its transit was more rapid than that of the Olive- 

 backed, which arrived earlier and remained later. 



In the spring of 1885 the Gray-cheeked Thrush was first seen at Gaines- 

 ville, Tex., May 9. At Saint Louis, Mo., the first was seen April 24, 

 and the last May 25. At Paris, 111., it was first seen April 15 ; at Des 

 Moines, Iowa, May 8 (where it remained only three days) ; and at Lanes- 

 boro, Minn., May 15. In Kansas it is a rare migrant (Goss). 



758 a. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii (Caban.). [4a.] Olive-hacked Thrush. 



A tolerably common summer resident from Manitoba northward. In 

 tracing this species along the three routes of migration in the Mississippi 

 Valley, it is found that the most eastern is the earliest and the most 

 western the latest. In the spring of 1884, at Danville, 111., the first came 

 April 25, and it passed north to latitude 41° 57'' as early at least as April 

 28. Along the middle route, just west of the Mississippi Eiver, the first 

 was reported from latitude 38° 40', in Missouri, April 26, and the bulk 

 April 29. Farther up the river, they came to latitude 43° 4<i / , in Minne- 

 sota, May 10, and to Minneapolis (lat. 45°) May 17. Farther west, the 

 bulk came to Manhattan, Kans. (lat. 39° 12'), May 13, were abundant 

 for two days, and then suddenly disappeared. Mr. Widmann furnished 

 a very full record from Saint Louis, which is as follows : 



April 26, first ; April 29, bulk arrived (small dark birds) ; May 5, height of the sea- 

 son (song often heard, the birds chasing each other as if mating); May 9, bulk con- 

 tinued present, dark birds ; May 11, arrival of great numbers (lighter birds, probably 

 one year old); May 13, the bulk of the species departed; May 26, last. 



This species winters south of our border, and breeds principally in 

 British America, but occasionally has been found nesting as far south 

 as northern Illinois. At Grinnell, Iowa, its nest and eggs have been 

 taken, and toward the latter part of the season the young are fre- 

 quently seen with the parents. 



In the spring of 1885 but few notes were contributed concerning the 

 movements of the Olive-backed Thrush. The whole record from Saint 

 Louis is as follows: "First, April 17; second, April 20; increase, April 

 22; arrival of bulk, May 4; most numerous, May 5; departure of bulk, 

 May 6; last, May 20." At Gainesville, Tex., the last was seen May 19, 

 At Manhattan, Kans., the first was seen May 12 and the last May 16. 

 At White Earth, Minn., May 16, I saw about thirty of these birds. 



