ORNITHOLOGIST 
— AND — 
OOLOGIST. 
f 1.00 per Joseph M. Wade, Editor and Publisher. Single Copy 
Annum. Established, March, 1875. 10 Cents. 
VOL. VII, BOSTON, DECEMBER 15 , 1882 . No. 24 . 
The Wood-thrushes {Jlylocichla) of 
New Brunswick. 
This Province can lay claim to but three 
members of this sub-genus of the Turdi- 
d(je, the Tawny, also called “ "Wilson’s 
Thrush,” and “ Veery,” the Olive-liacked 
and the Hermit, for the Wood Thrush does 
not come so far north on the Atlantic sea¬ 
board, rarely occurring beyond Massachu¬ 
setts and never reaching the northern limit 
of the Alleghanian faunal area, while its 
gray-cheeked congener, though probably 
passing through the country en-route to 
its breeding ground in the far North, has 
not as yet been taken within our boundii- 
lies. The Hermit and the Olive-backed 
are abundant throughout the Province and 
the Tawny is much too common to be called 
rare. They usually reach the vicinity of 
St. John during the first half of May, the 
Hermit arriving first, followed within a few 
days by the Tawny and in some two weeks 
hi' the Olive-backed. They leave here 
aI)out the middle of September. These 
species have a general appearance when in 
the field so similar that none but experts 
can distinguish them, though, upon a close 
examination, the characteristics of each are 
found to be marked with sufficient dis¬ 
tinctness to leave no doubt of their iden¬ 
tification. In the field all three have the 
same outline from beak to tail, the same 
russet coloring above the same dull white 
breasts, more or less spotted ; l)ut lay ex¬ 
amples of each side by side and it will 
prove that the Tawny was correctly named, 
for his russet plumes have a reddish tint in 
marked contrast with the greenish shade 
of the Olive-backed, while the Hermit is 
distinguished by his tawny tail which 
changes to olive above the rump. But the 
actions of these birds are more nearly iden¬ 
tical than either form or color, for whether 
seen hopi)ing along the ground or perched 
upon a tree, feeding or flying, it is imjios- 
sible to detect any difference in them. 
Much has been written al)out these same 
manners that is not warranted by what is 
observed of them during their visit to this 
country. While here they a 2 :)pear neither 
timid nor shy, and I doubt if they ever 
yield to such plebian weaknesses. These 
birds are j:)atricians, the premier genus of 
the arian aristocracy on Mr. Ridgway’s 
roll, and true to the instincts and tradi¬ 
tions of “ the first families” are modest and 
retiring, and prefer the calm repose of the 
forest to the glare and Imstle of the field 
and roadside." They are courageous and 
composed under excitement, but never 
quarrelsome, and are hap 25 y without being 
noisy. In short, tliey disfilay the good 
breeding and refined manners of the thor- 
oughI)reds that they are. They cannot be 
called gregarious but they are not solitary 
—Hermit Thrush is a ^iositive misnomer. 
They do not commingle as socially as do 
the sjjecies of some other families; indeed, 
they never ajijiear as conq^anions, yet it is 
not unusual to find a number of the same 
species frequenting one grove. I have 
seen as many as thirty Hermits within an 
area of a hundred yards square. In nidifi- 
cation our three sjiecies exhibit a marked 
difference ; the nests are differently con¬ 
structed and jilaced in diffei-ent situations. 
Their eggs also differ in shai)e, size and 
