Vol. XXIJ 



Trotter, Some Nova Scotia Birds. 



63- 



probably the great abundance of berries in the late summer on 

 which the young birds are fed. 



The two_ species of the ffylouMa group of Thrushes which I 

 found m this part of Nova Scotia, presented some interesting facts 

 m ocal distribution On the west side of Barrington Bay I found the 



' r f P^^^^^---^ ^P-^-- while on the eastern 

 side, the Hermit was the only one noticed. I cannot account for 

 this on any other ground than the tendency of individuals of the 



IZ'JTuv" "L^""^''' " ^^"^ observations- 

 ead meto behevethat the Olive-backed Thrush is the shyer of 

 the two. I saw the Hermit a number of times close to dwellings 

 and >t seemed to choose the more open woodland tracts, while the 

 Ohve-backed Thrush frequented the heavier growth along the edge 



li tened't '^ m ^PP"""^^^^^ ^^^'^ ^1°- to the Hermit and 



hst ned o his matchless song delivered from a fallen tree or stump 

 n the clearings at noon-day, but the Olive-backed Thrash was 

 always difficult to approach, and so far as my observations go, is a 

 much wilder bird in its habits. Its favorite post when singing is 

 near the top of some tall spruce or fir ; the bird diving iL the 

 undergrowth on the slightest suspicion of an inti'uder 



The song of the Olive-backed Thrush seemed to me to be 

 .nferior to that of the Hermit ; it starts out well but is finished in 

 TT ? '^"""^y My ear for music, however, is unculti- 



backed^ Thrush is really the better performer of the two. The 



f"r'\T^ '^^"''^ '° ™' " ^"^^^'"^d "^^l°dy throughout; 

 as th ugh the musician had the ear to appreciate as well Is the 



both b rdr'""-, ' "^^^'^^ '"'^"'^ - ----- 



both birds are charming songsters, voicing the very spirit of 

 wilderness sohtudes. 



The alarm notes of the two species are quite different. The 

 anrshan^ J'^"^."'^" disturbed. utters a metallic note, short 

 and sharp, often ending in a curious rolling, querulous call. This 

 note IS uttered constantly while the bird is fidgeting about in the 



note" T.^'- nf- short /....V 



notes of the Ohve-backed Thrush for the alarm calls of the 



Ruffed Grouse to her scattering brood. The alarm note of the 



Hermit has a Catbird quality about it, lower pitched and less 



