The Olive-backed Thrush. 



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Never shall I forget my first experience 

 with the Olive-backed Thrush. It was 

 during that delightful period of my orni- 

 thological experience when any bird at all 

 out of the common in occurrence, habits, 



or coloring, was exceedingly rare." s a wonderful record, and were it 

 What was my delight, then, when late in^ed by long experience I should 

 July this species literally forced itselfe inclined to consider it excep- 

 upon my notice. On opening the door Why, just take your pencil and 

 early one morning the first objectlthat't how many songs he must utter 



presented itself to my gaze was a little 

 hall-grown bird placidly sunning himself 

 on the warm boards, while his wiser or 

 more experienced mother was vainly 

 striving to impress upon his youthful mind 

 a more fitting fear of man. The young- 

 ster, as all youngsters are apt, thought 

 he knew more about it than anyone else. 

 He not only refused to leave, but sub- 

 mitted to handling with the utmost equa- 

 nimity. Having examined him to my 

 heart's content, I threw him into the air; 

 at once the old bird was by his side, guid- 

 ing him into the less exciting but safer 

 confines of the wood. How anxiously 

 did I watch the brood, hoping that they 

 might remain until grown, that I might 

 procure a specimen. They vanished in 

 two days, but my disappointment was al- 

 leviated by the capture of a fine old male. 



Since that long-ago experience this 

 species has become • perfectly familiar to 

 me from four summers' observation on 

 Mackinac Island. 



The Olive-backed Thrush arrives in 

 Kent County from the fifth to the tenth of 

 May. Never common, a specimen or so 

 may alwavs be found during an afternoon 

 walk. Unlike his brother, the Hermit 

 Thrush, this bird prefers woods either 

 entirely dry or of a swampy character 

 surrounded by high-wooded hills. Dur- 

 ing migrations, however, this bird is not 

 essentially woodland. Flocks of two or 

 three may often be surprised in the city 

 orchards. 



Wherever found he attends strictly to 

 his own affairs, neither obtruding hims If 

 upon your notice or exhibiting unneces- 

 sary shyness. A short chip"\% his only 

 note at this period ; his song, abundant 

 j song, too, as you shall see, is reserved for 

 j his summer home. His stay is short, ex- 

 i cejDt in some favored localities, where he 

 sometimes lingers a week beyond his time. 

 The twenty-first of May sees the last one 

 I off. 



;le day ! 



Bsing the time in round numbers, 

 him but eight a minute (he may 

 liered while I was not looking, 

 w) and we have — 

 of singing, one day, 500 min. 

 !" occasional song, 20 " 



Total, 520 " 



in. at 8 pel- min., 4160 songs, 

 ihg ceases entirely about the 25th 



although for five days before that 

 ;al eflbrt is somewhat relaxed, 

 If the usual time being spent in 

 it. However, as he must arrive 

 first week in June, certainly it 

 3t be unfair to allow him at the 

 st six weeks of vocal effort, 42 

 looo per day, 168,000 songs in a 

 I record excelled probably by the 

 lone. 



hrm note is now cJm-rce, with a 

 ibrating nasal sound on the last 

 Often, as with other thrushes, 

 IV whistle is uttered, pee-0-0. 

 f his characteristics is that, when 

 jit takes a great deal to frighten 

 ine can stand almost directly under 

 but he will continue to sing on, 

 y oblivious of your presence, 

 iie young hatch, little time is lost 

 |ginning the southward journey, 

 ry abundant on the island during 

 migrations, I have observed but 

 agglers in Kent County during 

 d. Stexvart Edtvard White. 



of our readers will be pained to 

 : James M. Southwick, the Rhode 

 turalist, has been confined to his 

 ag the last ten weeks. We all 

 a speedy recovery. 



0.& O Vol.17, An8r,1892 p,114-lT5 



