1879.| Notes on the Thrushes of Washington Territory. 631 
my back turned than he renewed the attack, and would have 
killed him in a short time. I then removed the second one and 
introduced him in a cage with a sly, thieving, quarrelsome Stel- 
ler’s jay (Cyanurus stellerii). Now let the oppressor be oppressed; 
we will see the result. Thrush number two recognized an old 
acquaintance, and with that deference which consciousness of 
another’s superiority inspires, quietly laid aside all hostilities ; the 
two lived together peaceably, so far as I could discover, the jay 
being the more magnanimous of the two. 
Three of our thrushes are found here during the entire winter, 
in greater or less numbers, viz: the two already treated of and 
a third, the dwarf or hermit thrush (7. pallasi var. nanus)> Al- 
though most of the latter thrush pass further south, a few remain 
all winter. I have myself observed them in considerable num- 
bers in the coast region north of San Francisco, Cal., in January. 
Their habits are shy and retiring, being found oftenest on the 
ground among the thick bushes. 
In March and April they pass here on their way to their breed- 
ing grounds further north. I have never seen a solitary bird here 
during the summer. About the last of September they make 
their appearance from the north. Judging from the accounts of 
authors, of the powers of song of the near allied eastern hermit, 
we would suppose T. nanus to be possessed of musical powers of a 
high order. Perhaps this might be so could we observe him in 
his chosen breeding grounds accompanied by his mate and ten- 
der nestlings. However this may be, with us he is entirely 
silent, so far as I can say. If his presence is detected it must be 
from sight alone. . 
But if xevius and nanus withhold from us their song and 
desert us for more congenial northern homes, their place is well 
filled by another member of the family ( T. swainsoni var. ustulatus). 
About the first of May, when the thick tangled, deciduous under- 
growth of the tall sombre fir forests is decked in green, their 
blossoms on every hand exhaling perfume, will be heard the sig- 
nal note of this bird announcing his presence among us. The 
lover of bird music now knows that the time for his enjoyment is 
at hand. The first note, loud and clear, is only a foretaste of 
what is to follow. The male has arrived first and is taking a sur- 
vey of his old familiar haunts to see that all is right and the way 
clear before his mate joins him, For several days after his arri- 
