■whole is lined with fine roots and a few fine dry grasses. Occasionally,' instead of the solid'frame of
impacted leaves, we find one of solidified mud.
“ The eggs of the Wood-Thrush, usually four in number, sometimes five, axe of a uniform deep-
blue tint, with but a single admixture of yellow, which imparts a greenish tinge. Their average
measurements are TOO by *75 inch.”
Mr. Bicknell writes of this species in his paper on the “ Singing of Birds ” (Auk, i. p. 1 2 8 ) f
“ This most admirable song-bird is in voice from its arrival, in late April or early May, until about
the middle of August. But towards the end of July singing becomes less universal with members of
this species, and soon after has come to be inconstant and confined to the earlier and later hours of
the day. Songs are usually to be heard through the first week of August, and sometimes for a week
later (August 6-15), when singing ceases somewhat abruptly, seven or eight weeks before the fina}
departure of the species.
“ After the cessation of singing these Thrushes become shy and inactive, affecting the most
retired parts of woods, and only the careful observer will discover that they have not disappeared.
Even their call-notes have almost been discontinued, and when heard are so low in tone and so brief
.as almost to seem as i f accidentally uttered. Before their departure, however, though they do not
again sing, voice is partially regained ; and in October, even so late as the middle, or rarely last of
the month, their call-notes may sometimes be heard uttered with the same vehemence as in the
spring.
“ The suspension of song by this bird during two months preceding its departure Can be
accounted for, according to the probabilities earlier adduced, by physiological activities antagonistic
to song operating during that time. In late August adults are covered with growing feathers and
without fat. In mid-September some, at least, show a nearly perfected plumage, with areas of fat
beginning to accumulate; and individuals may be found almost a month later with the renewal of
plumage still incomplete; such, perhaps, are birds of the year. It would appear from these facts
that the impulse to song is first interrupted by the moult, and further suppressed by the supervening
adipose condition.”
The following description is copied from Seebohm’s fifth volume of the ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’ —
Adult male in spring plumage. General colour of the upper parts russet-brown, shading into
orange-chestnut on the head and into olive on the rump and upper tail-coverts; lores grey; ear-
coverts brown, with pale centres; no trace of eye-stripe ; wings and wing-coverts brown, the outside
webs of the feathers russet-brown; tail olive-brown, the tips of the feathers narrowly margined with
white. Underparts white, with a slight shade of buff on the lower throat, each feather (except on
the chin, centre of upper throat, centre of belly, and under tail-coverts) having a conspicuous very
dark-brown fan-shaped terminal spot,paler and obscurely defined on the lower flanks; axillaries
white, with brown centres; under wing-coverts white with brown bases ; inner margin of quills pale
brown. Bill reddish brown, paler at the base of the lower mandible. Wings with the third and
fourth primaries nearly equal and longest; second primary sometimes shorter, sometimes longer
than the fifth; bastard-primary 0'9 to 0'45 inch. Legs, feet, and claws pale brown. Total length
7-5 inches, culmen 0'S to 0'7, wing 4-45 to 3'85, tail 2'9 to 2 5, tarsus 1-28 to 1T2.
The female does not appear to differ from the male, nor are the colours much brighter
immediately after the autumn moult. JBirds o f the year have traces of pale tips to the greater
wing-coverts. Young in first plumage are described as having pale yellowish shaft-lines to the
small feathers of the upper parts and pale ochraceous tips to the wing-coverts.
! The figures in the Plate are drawn from a Mexican specimen in the Seebohm Collection.
[R. B. S.] .