At,tU.,189Q, pp,i?6-7. 



A Brown Thrasher (^Harforhyuchus rlifus) in Massachusetts in 

 Winter. — On Deceniber 15, 1894, I discovered a Brown Tliraslier in 

 Arlington, Mass. I made m_v identification as sure as possible without 

 shooting the bird, because I knew that the middle of December was later 

 than this bird usually remains in Massachusetts. A few days after I first 



^ obst 



yations, 



saw him, Mr. Walter Faxon, to whom I had reported 1 

 again found the bird in almost exactly the same spot. 



From Dec. 15 until Christmas, the bird was visited regularly, and he 

 seemed to be able to supply himself with food; but on Dec. 27, there 

 came the first heavy snowstorm of the winter, covering the ground with 

 from four to fi\e inches of snow, on top of \vhich was a crust strong 

 enough to beaj- a man's weight. With this snow on the ground, it seemed 

 probable that the Brown Thrush would be unable to get food enough to 

 keep alive. Consequently, from Dec. 27 till March, we took food to him 

 regularly, at least as often as twice a week. We gave him yellow corn meal 

 soaked in water or milk for his staple diet. This food « e sometimes varied 

 with bread, pieces of meat cut fine, meal-worms, etc. lie alway.s ate what- 

 ever we gave him with a good appetite, as soon as we were a few yards oft. 

 ]5\ March 5, the snow had melted sway in many spots, and we saw the 

 bird for the last time on that day. 



When at rest, he carried his left wing lower than the right. For thi.s 

 reason we supposed that he had been wounded in the vying, and so 

 prevented from making the long autumnal migration. \V'hether or not he 

 would have been able to take care of himself without outside help we have 

 no means of knowing: but he ate what we brought him so eagerly, and 

 .so soon after we oftered it to him, that it seemed probable that he gotveiw j 

 little other food after the first heavy snowfall. — AKTiU R Scott Oilman, 

 Canihridge, Alass. 



/Wv^^^::2.^lJ^±^±^^ [^.X^,'?'^t~J "^s-a-^^.Wwv-w^ 



A Winter Record of the Brown Thrasher in Lancaster, Mass.— 



■ During this last winter (1912-1913) a Brown Thrasher {Toxosloma rufum) 

 took up his residence in a Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) in front 

 of my greenhouse and apparently had a very comfortable time of it. My 

 gardener became very much interested and every day threw out food and 

 also put the greenhouse cat to " rest." 



The bird as far as I could see was not injured or crippled in the least. 

 February 24 and 25, my man said he sang, but as a cold snap came on the 

 26th, he stopped and never tried it again all winter. — John E. Thayer, 

 Lancaster, Mass. AHIE 30, July, 10 nj, j>, y J^- ij 



