Nesting of Wilson's Thrush in 

 Pennsylvania. 



To most of the readers of the O. & O., sup- 

 posing that they are New Englanders, the 

 Wilson's Thrush {Tiirdas fuficeficenfi) is in all 

 probability one of the most common birds 

 breeding in their locality. 



But this is not so in Pennsylvania, for 

 although the bird is a transient visitor iu this 

 State it seldom remains to breed. 



On the 26th of .July, 1889, while on a picnic 

 at Lloydsville, Cambria Co., Pa., and not 

 having anytliing to do, I wandered up the 

 mountain to pick whortleberries. .Just as I 

 reached the summit, a bird of the thrush 

 family started up in front of me, and quiclcly 

 disappeared in the brush-wood. On going to 

 the spot slie had left 1 found a nest and three 

 eggs. Not deeming identitication c(nnplete I 

 marked the spot, and on returning about half 

 an hour later I again flushed tlie bird, getting 

 a better view of her; lier tawny coloi-, togetlier 

 with the position and composition of the nest, 

 furnishing identilicatiou. As I did not expect 

 to be in tlie locality again J took tlie set, 

 though probably incomplete, together witii 

 the nest. 



The latter was placed a few inches above the 

 level of tlio ground, presumably on the remains 

 of an old decayed stump; but whatcvci' it was, 

 it wa,s so covered witli decayed leaves tliat it 

 was diflicult to tell what tlie original fcuinda- 

 tion had been. 



Tbe nest was composed of di-ied grass, root- 

 lets, dead leaves and a shi-ed-like bark, 

 probably that of tlie grape-vine. Tliere was 

 no lining wliatever, except tliat in the inside 

 the rootlets predominated sliglitly. 



The eggs, as mentioned before, were three 



in number, of the usual light greenish-blue 

 color. They measure: .93x.69; .88x.67; 

 .89X.69, and were perfectly fresh, probably 

 being the second set of the season. 



Lloyd's station is situated on the side of a 

 spur of the Alleghany mountains, and, accord- 

 ing to the Pennsylvania State Geological Sur- 

 vey report, of Blair Co., is 2,180 feet above 

 tide, the nest being at least 150 feet higher, 

 on the summit of the hill, making the altitude 

 of the nest at least 2,300 feet above tide. This 

 altitude was in all probability chosen by the 

 bird to make up for the difference in latitude 

 between this and its regular breeding local- 

 ities. 



On another trip, several miles east of this, I 

 noticed a pair of Juncos (Junco hyemaiis) ap- 

 parently making "much ado about nothing," 

 but on closer investigation 1 discovered a 

 young bird lying on the ground, dead. This 

 has no connection with the Wilson's Thrush, 

 but it may be interesting to know that the 

 Junco, although on the high mountains, breeds 

 as far south as latitude 41° 20'. 



Fred 0. Koch. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



[To the above instance of Wilson's Thrush 

 breeding in Pennsylvania, may be added that 

 of a set of four eggs taken May 28, 1887, in 

 Montgomery County, Pa., and now in my 

 cabinet.— J^. P. JV.] 



0.*.0. XV.May.lSOO P^^^;-/' 



iJotes- Egga of Thrushes & Thrashers, 

 H.G. Packer. 



Wilson's Thrush {Hylomhlaf »s<-,es(-i:us) . Eggs 

 universally four, blue, unspotted. In shade 

 they seem to be darker than eggs of the Hermit 

 Thrush, and this darkei' blue is constant in 

 comparing a series of each. The size is ap- ! 

 pareutly the same, and a faded set of small 

 Catbird's eggs look somewhat like those of 

 Wilson's Thrush. 



The nest of this bird is essentially difFerent 

 from that of the Wood Thrush, inasmuch as 

 it is loscly constructed, and contains no mud, 

 and is phiccd ou tiie ground or near it. It 

 breeds in rcnnsylvania and Ohio sparingly, 

 and tinds its most congenial haunts in New 

 England and to tlic Northward. 



O.&O.'XII. May. 1887 p. 69 



kg 



^ -a 



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3- _ -°, 



I 8 5; g g S > s g, " 



M ° > I s II I ^ ^ s I -i 



meryiZ:!r7'''''''' Thrusli. Sum- 



oa''ly in Alay. '''^'^^ ^'''et. Nests, 



