470 THRUSHES, SOLITAIRES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC. 
migrates through the United States west to the Rocky Mountains and 
south to Costa Rica. 
Nest. — In low bushes or on the ground, bulky, and compact, composed 
largely of mosses. Eggs: 3 or 4, greenish blue, spotted with rusty 
brown. 
758. Hylocichla ustulata (Nutt.). Russet-backed Thrush. 
Upper parts olive brown, wings and tail often browner ; huffy eye ring 
distinct; sides of head tinged with tawny ; chest pale buff, whitish in 
summer, marked with narrow triangular spots; under parts white, sides 
tinged with olive brown. Length: 6.90-7.60, wing 3.60-4.00, tail 2.80- 
3.30, bill .50-.60. 
Remarks. — The ustulata group is distinguished by conspicuous buffy 
eye ring and tawny or buffy cheeks ; and ustulata and its subspecies oedica 
and almoc are to be distinguished from swainsoni by their brown tails, 
that of swainsoni being olive like the back. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Boreal and Transition zones of the Pacific coast 
region from Alaska to California; winters in Lower California and from 
Mexico to Guatemala. 
Nest. — In bushes or small trees, usually near water, bulky and compact, 
made largely of mosses and shreds of bark. Eggs : 4 or 5, light greenish 
blue, averaging decidedly paler than those of alicice, spotted with rusty 
brown. 
Food. — Ants, caterpillars, weevils, beetles, moths, and other insects, 
with small fruit. 
At Gray’s Harbor, Washington, Mr. Lawrence says, the russet- 
backed thrush is very common throughout the river-bottoms, and 
common on the small prairies and in the timber. It comes about 
the time the salmon berry bushes blossom, and goes when their 
berries are gone. 
758a. H. u. swainsoni (Cab.). Olive-backed Thrush. 
Upper parts uniform olive or grayish olive ; buffy eye ring conspicuous ; 
sides of head buffy, marked with darker ; chest bright buff, marked with 
wide blackish streaks; under parts white, sides olive brown. Length: 
6.35-7.55, wing 3.80-4.10, tail 2.80-3.10, bill .50-.55. 
Remarks. — The olive-backed is distinguished from the rest of the 
ustulata group by having the tail of the same or nearly the same color as 
the back, and by its darker and broader chest streaks. It is also distin¬ 
guished from the gray-cheeked by its buffy cheeks and buffy eye ring. 
Distribution. — Breeds in Canadian zone in eastern North America; 
migrates to Cuba and through Colorado and Texas, south to Guatemala 
and South America. 
Nest and eggs. — Like those of the russet-backed thrush. 
Food. — Among other things, caterpillars, rose hips, and the fruit of 
smilax and liackberry. 
758b. H. u. oedica Oberh. Monterey Thrush. 
Similar to swainsoni, but olive of upper parts somewhat tinged with 
brown, tail and tail coverts brown, and sides and flanks browner. Com¬ 
pared with ustulata, oedica is much less rufous. 
Distribution. — Breeds from the interior of southern Oregon south 
thropgh California, except along the northern coast; winters in Arizona 
and Mexico. 
