284 
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 
birds, alone broke the silence of the woods. Even along the hanks of the Deschutes 
there was noticeable at the time of my visit, in September, a remarkable poverty ot 
birds. This I attributed, in the lack of other apparent causes, to the fact that the 
shrubbery of its banks consisted only of willows, while a heavy growth of coarse grass 
replaced the bright flowers and varied vegetation of higher altitudes. 
Notable as are these forest deserts for absence of bird-life, they yet form the home 
for thousands of mule-deer and antelope. The former, although generally dispersed, 
center in greater numbers in certain spots, which are regulated probably by their ac¬ 
cessibility to water, and not a day passed w ithout many being started by our train. 
The mule-deer, as nearly as we could learn, reaches only into the mountains of the 
eastern slope, and does not pass the summit; a somewhat singular fact in regard to 
its distribution, since it reaches quite to the coast in the region south of San Francisco. 
To the west, in Northern California and Oregon, it is replaced by the Pacific black-tailed 
deer (C. Columbian us). This animal, while in the main confined to the region west of 
the mountains, was ascertained to cross the range at a number of points and inhabit 
the same sections as the C. macrolis. This, however, is the exception rather than the 
rule, the eastern slope, as a rule, appearing to be free from its presence. 
Along the Dechutes River we met with the white-tailed deer, the so-called < . leu- 
curus. In comparison with the mule-deer it was not numerous, and its range appeared 
to be confined to the river-bottom and to the forest closely adjacent. 
The antelope, typically an animal of the open grassy plains, concentrates more in 
th^ “deadeuiugs,” which are often of many hundred acres in extent, or live in the sec¬ 
tions where the pines dwindle away and are replaced by a growth of cedar. Still, 
they were not infrequently met with in the pine woods, their haunts here thus fur¬ 
nishing a strong contrast to the usual home of the species further east. 
In connection with my work, my grateful thanks are due for the many courtesies 
and very material assistance rendered by my friend Mr. H. G. Parker, of Carson, Nev. 
I am also greatly indebted to Maj. J. M. Norvall, at the time of my visit in command 
of Camp Bidwell, for the generous hospitality received at his hands. During my stay 
with him every possible aid to my investigations was freely extended. I would also 
gratefully mention the aid received from my friend Mr. Robert Ridgway, of the Smith¬ 
sonian Institution, in the shape of facilities extended in connection with the study 
of specimens, as also for many valuable suggestions. 
TURDIDiE—Thrushes. 
Tukdus Linmeus. 
T. migratorius propinquus Ridgw. Western Robin. 
This variety of the common robin is found throughout this w T hole region as a sum¬ 
mer visitant, and is more or less abundant according to special locality. In Nevada, 
the bulk of individuals arrive from the south in March, and spend the early spring in 
the low and sheltered valleys. As summer advances they make their way higher and 
higher up on the mountain sides, where they inhabit preferably the aspen groves. The 
species begins to lay in the neighborhood of Carson about the middle of May. A con¬ 
siderable number of pairs rear their first broods here and in other similar low valleys. 
But as soon as the young are on the wing all withdraw, apparently to the mountains, 
and by July, when the lowlands are dry and parched, the sight of a robin is extremely 
unusual. 
Robins were fairly numerous in Oregon, along the Columbia River, during the last 
of October, and a few doubtless winter even at this high latitude. 
T. ncevius Gm. Varied Thrush ; Oregon Thrush. 
This fine thrush is chiefly known to us as it occurs during fall and winter at points 
far south of its summer home. Apparently its breeding range is wholly confined to the 
regions west of the Cascade, and perhaps the northern Sierra ranges, from a point 
somewhere about the Columbia River northward. Even in October I saw but a single 
individual at The Dalles, while a day’s march down the Columbia toward the west 
slope of the Cascades brought me to where the species was very numerous. 
From ray friend Mr. H. G. Parker I have information of the occurrence of this thrush 
near Reno, in Western Nevada, just at the base of the Sierras, thus confirming its sup¬ 
posed presence here, as mentioned in a previous report (1877). Very large numbers 
made their appearance in this neighborhood about February 1, probably from the 
mountains to the westward, and remained till into March. Doubtless this is not an 
unusual event in the history of this species, and we may consider its winter habitat as 
including the main chain of the Sierras on either slope! 
The four instances known of the occurrence of the varied thrush along the eastern 
coast must be looked upon as wholly exceptionable, especially as no cases are on record 
of its appearance even in the remoter western States to the east of the Sierras. 
