A FURTHER STUDY OF THE HOME LIFE OF THE BROWN 
THRASHER — Toxostoma rufum Linn. 
BY IRA N. GABRIELSON. 
During the summer of 1911, the writer made a detailed study of the 
nesting habits of the Brown Thrasher which covered a considerable part 
of the nesting period. The report of this study was published in the 
Wilson Bulletin.* 
During the summer of 1912 the writer made one full day’s observa- 
tions on a nest of the same species under somewhat different circum- 
stances, such that some additional conclusions are reached regarding the 
nestling food. 
The nest in question was located in a cherry orchard, about two and 
one-half feet from the ground, in one of the cherry trees. At the time 
of the study the trees were loaded with an abundance of ripe fruit. 
The nest was discovered on June 1 17. It was of the usual type and 
contained four eggs. Between the tree rows and on all sides of the 
nest was a dense thicket of raspberry bushes. These bushes and the 
loose moist earth beneath them was a favorite hunting ground for the 
thrashers and furnished an abundant supply of grasshoppers, beetles 
and cutworms. 
On June 18 the four eggs hatched. On the 22nd the observation blind 
was erected by the nest. Observations began on the 23d at 3:30 o’clock 
in the morning and continued without a break until 8 :30 in the evening. 
All of the records were taken by the writer and Mr. Howard Graham, 
to whom I wish to express my thanks. 
The proximity of the food supply kept the parent birds in the im- 
mediate vicinity of the nest the greater part of the time. Occasionally 
one of them flew down the hill to a small creek, but at other times one 
could either see or hear them in the bushes near by. 
It was very easy to distinguish the male from the female. The plum- 
age of the female was of a . much duller color, especially on the head 
where the markings were obscured by a dirty gray color. The female 
also possessed one or two badly worn and broken tail feathers. These 
*Vol. XXIV June 1912. . 
