218 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 
the Missouri.”* On the 24th of July I came upon a family of these birds in 
a deep thickly wooded ravine. The young were apparently just commencing to 
fly. Both parents uttered constantly a rather melancholy “ pheugh ,” in a low 
whistling tone. The female evinced the greatest anxiety for the safety of her 
brood, and endeavored to lead me from their vicinity by fluttering from bush 
to bush ; and it was only with some difficulty that I secured both parents. In 
the course of the same day I saw several of these Thrushes, only, however, 
among the thickest firs. They all uttered precisely the same note, and were 
very timid, darting into the most impenetrable thickets, so that it was with 
great difficulty they could be procured. They appear to be very abundant in 
Labrador ; probably full as much so as the T, Swainsoni in most portions of 
eastern United States. 
There are readily appreciable characters by which this species may be dis- 
tinguished from the closely allied T. Swainsoni. The uniformly longer, 
straighter, and narrower bill is a striking feature. The upper parts are of a 
much darker shade of olive, as are also the sides under the wings* and the 
spots on the throat and breast. But the most prominent feature is the entire 
absence of any buff tinge on the throat and sides of the head and around the 
eye, so conspicuous in T. Swainsoni. The whole bird is also considerably 
larger. 
Turdus (Planesticus) migratorius Linn. — Robin. 
Turdus migratorius , Aud., Birds Amer. iii. 121, pi. 142. 
Turdus ( Planesticus ) migratorius , Baird, Gen. Rep. 218. 
The Robin, so common and well known throughout the United States, is 
equally abundant in all well wooded districts in Labrador. Its habits are so 
familiar to every one, that a detailed account of them would be superfluous. 
I remarked, however, that they appeared to be shyer than might be expected 
in a country where they are so seldom molested. 
Saxicola cenanthe Bechst. — Stone Chat. 
Saxicola cenanthe^ Baird, Gen. Rep. 220. 
1 Saxicola cenanthoides , Vigors, Zool. Voyage Blossom, 1839, 19. Cass. 111. i. 
1854, 208 ; pi. xxxvi. 
I had the good fortune to procure a specimen of this interesting bird, at 
Henley Harbor, on the 25th of August. The sailor who brought it to me 
stated that it was in company with two others, but could give no intelligible 
account of its voice or manners. It was in immature plumage, very different 
from that of the adult, and was excessively fat. 
The North American Saxicola has by some authors been considered distinct 
from the common European S. cenanthe , under the name of S. cenanthoides , 
first applied by Vigors to a bird from the North-west Coast. The author re- 
marks upon its very close affinity to the European bird, and apparently con- 
siders the locality as the strongest ground for supposing a specific distinction. 
The name was subsequently applied by Cassin, in the work above cited, to a 
bird from Nova Scotia, the larger size and rather different proportions of the 
tarsus being with this author the most important characters. In a critical 
comparison of specimens from Europe, Greenland and Labrador, I have been 
unable to detect any distinctive features beyond those of size, and very slight 
differences of proportion ; which last, however, are not constant, or greater than 
exist between undoubted specimens of S. cenanthe. The difference in size is 
no greater than would be expected from the more northern locality of the bird 
*1 have since detected this species at Washington, D. C. ; and well characterized spe- 
cimens have also been obtained in the same locality by my friend, Mr. D. W. Prentiss. 
This would seem to indicate an eastern range at least equal to that of T. Swainsoni, 
with which it is found associated, in the region west of the Mississippi. 
[Aug. 
